


Camperoo Funtime

by nescamonster



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Angst, Dead by Daylight au, Death, Depression, Friendship, Murder, Other, Psychological Torture, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2016-09-10
Packaged: 2018-08-12 09:19:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7929286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nescamonster/pseuds/nescamonster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Acheivment hunter are forced to go camping for team building exercises. What could go wrong?</p><p>Sorry i know i said i was going to finish but this is now officially ABANDONED</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So anyone who saw the dead by daylight gameplay will know what's up. Their creative little description inspired this so enjoy... or not whatever i'm not the boss of you

As they pulled up to the trailers they would be living in for over the weekend, the achievement hunters all groaned in unison. Burnie chuckled from his place driving the bus, pulling up right in front of the two trailers. Once the bus was stopped he stood up and turned to face the six men spread out along the seats.

  
“Welcome gentlemen to Camperoo funtime.” He said with amusement dripping from his tone.

  
“God Burnie, why do you hate me?” Geoff muttered as he examined the outside of the trailers. They were fairly modern and sleek, silver and large. The problem that he saw was the barbecue set up out the front and the outhouse peaking out around the side of the left one. Burnie stepped forward so he could clap a hand too Geoff’s shoulder.

  
“Come on, You know I don’t hate you. That’s why these things have enough power to run fridges stock full of snacks and food.”

  
“And bevs?” Called Gavin from his place next to Michael.

  
“And bev’s.” Burnie confirmed and Geoff ran a hand over his face before shooing Burnie away from him.

  
“Well that’s something at least.” He murmured and they all started to pile out. Burnie explained that lads had the trailer on the right, gents the left. The barbecue was for all the meat in the fridges and he suggested not using the AC at night. Each trailer was equipped with floodlights and there was a soccer sized clearing to the side of the lads trailer. On the edge of either side of the clearing were boxes filled with the equipment they needed for the team building exercises set down by the company.

  
This was the ‘Game play-in-real-life: Team building’ campout that Matt had handed down as a smart business move. As Geoff had explained to his team, an excuse to pander to the cooperation and get a free weekend of paid for fun.

  
Inside the trailers were a two bunk beds to one side and a single on the other. It had a fridge and some lights and charger ports for phones. There was also a little sink but Burnie explained the fresh water supplied was a half mile walk down the road to refill the jugs. Geoff immediately hit the fridge for a beer, handing one to jack who was right behind him. Ryan sighed in satisfaction when he saw there was also diet coke in the gents fridge.

  
The lads broke out some deck chairs they found in their trailer after they tossed their bags on their beds. Michael getting the single, Gavin top bunk and Jeremy bottom. They threw themselves into their chairs, drinks in hand and Gavin already broken into the snacks. As the gents came out of their own trailer with Burnie, Michael put his hands behind his head.

  
“Well it might have that dreaded natural light thing going on, but this might not be too bad.” He said with a grin and Burnie rolled his eyes at the young man. He turned to Jack, the most sensible of the bunch.

  
“So if you guys could at least talk through the exercises together, so if anyone asks you can say you did them, that would be great.” Jack laughed and shook hands with Burnie.

  
“No promises, look what I work with.” He said spreading a hand towards his workmates. Geoff had tipped Gavin out of the chair and sat in it himself, already on his second drink and his head back with eyes closed. Michael was throwing marshmallows at Lil’J who was trying to catch them in his mouth. Ryan had gotten into the barbecue supplies and was starting it up using more fluid then really necessary to get a huge flame going.

  
“I see your point. Anyway I’ll see you all Monday.” Burnie said and with a wave started towards the bus.

  
“Oi, Hang on a tick. Your leaving?” Gavin spoke as he brushed himself off. The bus door opened and Burnie jumped into the vehicle, smiling over his shoulder.

  
“Yeah. I don’t have to stay here. I got actual work to do. I did tell Matt it was a stupid idea but hey he’s the boss so you know,” he shrugged trailing off and the doors closed behind him.

  
“See you Monday!” he yelled through the closed doors and the bus rumbled to life, driving out of sight behind a forested curve within moments.

  
“Steaks anyone?” Ryan asked cheerfully, the bloodied meat already being unpacked.

 ____

Later that day as the sun dipped behind the horizon, they had a nice bonfire going in between the trailers. Everyone was sitting around in their chairs, drinks scattered around them as they joked and talked into the night. Marshmallows, what was left of them anyway, were toasted and eaten or stuck to the sleeping Geoff’s face. By mutual agreement they decided the portapot was only to be used for number two’s so they didn’t have the choir of emptying it.

  
It was for this reason that Lil’J stumbled into the woods to relive the urgency in his bladder. In the dark, every tree looked the same so despite the fuzziness of his head, he managed to keep the lights of the fire and trailer in sight. He leant up against a tree for support and got himself sorted, releasing a contented sigh.

  
“I dunno. It does sound fun, but they’re my friends.” Came a soft voice in the dark, Jeremy couldn’t identify. He furrowed his brows and tucked himself away as he tried to see further into the woods.

  
“Look we barely know each other, I’m just not sure if I should be listening to you.” Came the voice again and Jeremy, drawing on his knowledge of horror movies, decided to break the stereotype and hurry back to the fire.

  
“Guys! There’s someone in the woods!” he cried out as soon as he hit the ring of light. Jack stood, albeit a bit unsteady, but focused on him quickly. Michael laughed at him straight away and Gavin didn’t seem to understand English right then.

  
“What do you mean someone’s out there?” Jack asked Jeremy as seriously as he could manage. Lil’J didn’t answer, eyes scanning the area. Geoff was asleep still, marshmallows slowly sliding down his face but Ryan was nowhere to be seen.

  
“Wait, where’s Ry-AHHHHHHHHHH” Jeremy screamed as hands grabbed him from behind. He flailed wildly and broke free, spinning around with fist raised but overbalanced and fell on his ass. Ryan still had a hand outreached towards him and was cracking up at the poor younger mans fright.

  
“fucking idiot!” shouted Michael as he was laughing and Gavin squawked in his chair, holding his sides as tears streamed down his face. Jack was holding his face, shaking his head as Jeremy burnt red with embarrassment.

  
“What the hell Ryan?” he demanded of the gent as he picked himself up.

  
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist! Your fear is so fun!” He laughed again and then stepped forward to help Jeremy brush himself off. Jeremy gave his own chuckle, knowing if it had been anyone but himself he would have found it just as funny.

  
“Ryan the creeper guy.” He said and Michael snorted behind him, “No that’s Gavin. Ryan’s the Stalker guy.” He joked and they all laughed once more with Jack the first to recover.

  
“Alright, alright. How about we turn it into Ryan the sleeping guy huh? Let’s all hit the hay.” He suggested and the Achievement hunters agreed. Michael escorted the wobbly legged Gavin to his bed then came back to help Jeremy put out the fire. Jack and Ryan between them put Geoff to bed in the single. As they came back out the last two lads had finished patting down the fire.

  
“Alright night all.” Jack said when he saw the fire had been taken care of and went to go inside. He paused as Ryan waved the Lads into their trailer but made no move to come in himself. He caught Jacks questioning look and gestured to the fire pit.

  
“Just gonna hang out here for five, make sure it’s really out. Don’t really feel like dyeing in my sleep because I trusted two drunk morons with a fire.” He said and jack nodded and smiled. Ryan was the only sober one after all.

  
“Ok, just don’t wake me climbing up to the top bunk.” He said over his shoulder and went inside and too bed. Before he dropped off he thanked his lucky stars that Ryan didn’t like drinking and was there to look out for them. He could have sworn he saw the reflected light of coals in Ryan’s eyes just as he turned away.


	2. team building

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saturday morning and the guys start building their team skills and discuss dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Team lads, team gents, team angrymad, team battle buddies, Team Plan G.... whoever could say that Acheivment hunter need help building team skills? Well matt aparently...

Sleep held jack softly in its arms. Lightly he drifted, painted scenes playing out over his subconscious. Somewhere he admired how soft and comfortable the beds were in the trailer. As he dreamt of building a mansion, something intruded on the peace. A muffled yelling. Dream Jack looked around from his half complete house, the blocked trees suddenly becoming more prominent in his dream sight. He walked through the woods until he came across a nightmare. Geoff, dressed as master chief sans the helmet, screaming in agonizing pain as a giant spider eviscerated him before Jacks eyes.

  
A limp hand reached out to Jack, blood between its fingers.

  
_Help me…_

  
Jack woke with a start and wiped the sweat from his brow before turning to look at Geoff. Ryan was already kneeling over jacks best friend in the whole world and Jack felt the bottom of his stomach give out.

  
“What is it? Is he ok?” he called panicked and Ryan turned to him with a barely visible finger pressed to his lips.

  
“He’s fine,” he whispered, lowering his hand to speak, “Just a nightmare I think. Attack of the Marshmallows.” He joked, chuckling quietly but Jack couldn’t bring himself to join in.

  
“More like attack of the spiders.” He groaned, those red eyes still looming before him in his mind. Ryan looked at jack sharply but didn’t say anything.

  
“You sure he’s ok?” Jack double checked and Ryan nodded his head, standing up and starting to climb into his bed.

  
“Like I said Jack. Nightmare. He’s fine.” He reassured the bearded man as his weight sunk into the mattress above Jack. Jack sighed out all his breath and put his head down on the pillow once more, watching Geoff breath across the tiny hall. He didn’t know how long he stared before he fell back into an uneasy sleep.

\----

The next morning, Ryan was the first up despite being the last down. He had already cooked one batch of bacon and eggs and was starting on the toast as the Lads stumbled out of their trailer. He grinned evilly at them. “MORNING BOYS!” he bellowed and chuckled as Gavin and Michael gripped their heads groaning. Jeremy had seen the evil glint in Ryan’s eyes and plugged his ears. He smiled at Ryan who winked at him.

  
“How’s are you today princess? No more scares?” he said mockingly and Jeremy’s smile dropped. He rolled his eyes serving himself some bacon on toast.

  
“Ha ha real funny rye-bread. Maybe if you hadn’t been out there chatting to your dick, nothing would have happened.” He mocked back and was surprised that the relatively weak jab caused Ryan to flush with embarrassment. Michael snagged Jeremy’s food out of his hand and sat down in his chair as Jeremy bitched.

He spoke over the whining, “Good bacon Rye. And be nice to Jeremy, he was tossing and turning like a bitch all night.” He noted and it was Jeremy’s turn to flush. Gavin had sat down with his food which he was poking at cautiously, his face a little green.

  
“Shut up. I know I wasn’t the only one having weird dreams last night. I seem to recall waking up after one of my ‘tossing and turning’” he threw up the air quotes, “ in time to hear you moaning.”

  
“Oh, kinky moaning on night one?” Jack asked, coming into the middle of the conversation, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Ryan gestured at the food and he helped himself as Jeremy finally managed to sit down with his own plate unmolested, continuing his story.

  
“Dunno, ask Michael. He’s the one bitching.”

  
“You’re the bitch, Bitch!” the curly haired man shot back and jack settled down into his chair turning to Michael.

  
“So what’s going on?” he asked Michael turning that sharp glare from Jeremy to himself. Before he could formulate an answer, Ryan piped up from his position behind the Barbecue.

  
“Team lads was team bitch last night. The wittle boys had nightmares.” He mocked them in a baby voice getting a angry coo from Gavin.

  
“Oi, I was not a bitch! I slept just fine thank you.”

  
“Shut the fuck up gav, no one gives a shit about your dreams.” Michael growled and Geoff took this moment to appear. His face was dirty with muck and fluff sticking to his face where the marshmallows had been.

  
“Gavin had a wet dream?” he asked and everyone turned to look at him, cracking up at his sticky face. Geoff seemed to realize they were laughing at him and not Gavin, touching his face and feeling the stickiness.

  
“What the fuck?” he asked no one in particular then sniffed his sticky fingers before frowning, “oh you guys are assholes!” he yelled. He disappeared back into the trailer to wash his face, his friends laughter following him inside. Ryan turned off the barbecue and sat down with his own breakfast, chuckling merrily with the rest of them.

  
The rest of the morning drifted away from talk of bad dreams. Everyone complemented Ryan on his cooking and Geoff was reassured it was marshmallow stickiness on his face. Jack ran through a few of the activities that they were meant to do and to his surprise, the group decided to actually play one of them after breakfast. Of course breakfast lasted late into the morning, the Achievement hunters eating until their stomachs hurt then having to stay resting until the uncomfortably full feeling went away.

  
It was closer to midday when they finally trudged over to one of the boxes and pulled out a few items for a game. Cones, balls and a few random items such as bottles and empty tins were spread randomly across the field. Jack then handed each of the Lads a blindfold which they put on, Michael a little grudgingly. Jack explained the game for them.

  
Team Angry Fat, Michael and Jack vs Team Battle buddies, Jeremy and Ryan vs Team Plan G, Gavin and Geoff. Each gent will lead their lad through the obstacle course using their voices. The lads were not allowed to speak, the reason Geoff gave that they were the blindfolded party. Jacks reason gave was to split up teams lads and gents. First to the other side wins.

  
“So we can use our lad to attack other lads right?” Ryan asked and Jeremy nodded his head enthusiastically. Jack laughed and shook his head.

  
“No, No fighting. Just get your idiot to the finish line.” He said and they lined up the lads at the beginning. After a countdown of three, the lads were off as the gents yelled instructions at them. Ryan used Jeremy to trip up Gavin which caused Jack to turn around and berate him so Michael had to pause. Geoff managed to get Gavin to pull ahead as the other two argued until Michael screamed at Jack to shut his mouth and fucking pay attention. The race was back on, Gavin tripping on a cone much to Geoff glee.

  
“You did that on purpose!” he called as Geoff laughed hard at the sidelines. Michael at jacks instruction, stepped over the squawking brit and weaved through the course. Lil’J was hot on his heels, the two basically neck and neck until Ryan yelled left and Michael obeyed the wrong gent, slamming into Little J. This opened the way for Gavin and Geoff, the lanky man stumbling over the finishing line then ripping his blindfold off to crow triumphantly.

  
“Not fucking fair! They sound the same!” objected Michael, his own blindfold in hand, pointing an accusing hand at Team Same voice. Geoff just smiled smugly, arms folded as Gavin did victory thrusts at the finishing line.

  
“Too bad how sad. If you can’t tell them apart by now, then that’s your problem.”

  
“It’s hard to fucking concentrate when everyone’s screaming!” Michael yelled as everyone laughed at his rage. “Shut the fuck up! Fucking Ryan got told not to attack and he fucking did it anyway! Fucking cheated and who pays for it?! Fucking I do! Mother fucking Fucktard Ryan!” He went off, stomping towards the trailers as the others trailed behind him still laughing. Jeremy walked beside Ryan nudged him with a shoulder.

  
“We’re not the battle buddies for nothing are we?” he said and Ryan grinned at the shorter man.

  
“My point exactly.” He agreed and Jack threw them a half serious glare, shaking his head at their antics. The afternoon was pretty uneventful, Jeremy and Gavin breaking out DS’s and playing each other. Michael disappeared into the trailer, probably to get away from the infuriating Gavin. Geoff and jack found themselves side by side in their seats, Ryan walking into the woods looking for what he claims was a nature trail he found yesterday.

  
“Hey, what you dream last night?” Asked jack to Geoff who looked at him slowly.

  
“Nothing, why?” he said a tad too fast and very defensively. Jack put his hands up in surrender.

  
“No real reason. You just yelled out in your sleep. Got into my own dream and woke me up.” He said soothingly and Geoff sighed, rubbing his face in the familiar gesture of frustration.

  
“Just played too much mine craft before we left that’s all. Freaking nightmare.” He muttered and jack nodded consolingly.

  
“yeah, your yelling gave me a nice little horror show myself.”

  
“Oh yeah?”

  
“Yeah. God dam Spider tore you to pieces. Funny, mine was mine craft too.” He chuckled but stopped when he saw Geoff’s face, frozen in place.

  
“What?” he asked and Geoff shook his head from side to side slowly.

  
“that was my dream. Fucking mine craft spider tore me multiple new ones.” He said and Jack shuddered. Then he remembered this morning’s conversation and looked over at the two lads.

  
“Hey Jeremy. You said Michael was moaning last night? Do you know what his dream was?” He asked and Jeremy looked up confused at the random question. He shook his head.

“No, he never said.”

  
“Probably dreaming of Geoff in his bed.” Commented Gavin as Jeremy sniggered. Geoff sat up straight and glared at Gavin.

  
“What the fuck does that mean?” he demanded and Gavin shrugged.

  
“I dunno, I was pretty gone but I thought I heard Michael groan your name.” he said with a grin and a laugh as the two gents exchanged looks. Jeremy was smiling too but it seemed a bit more forced. Geoff shook his head and his arms in a negative motion, leaning back into the chair.

  
“nope, no way. We are reading far too much into this.” He said to Jack and Jeremy stood, coming over to them.

  
“far too much into what?”

  
“Oh me and Geoff had the same nightmare. But that makes sense, I mean we play mine craft together all the time and your yelling just bled into my subconscious. That’s all.” Jack explained away and Geoff seemed to relax slightly at that. Jeremy put a hand to his mouth, taking a deep breath before moving it to speak.

  
“I had a pretty bad dream. A spider broke into the office and attacked you Geoff.” He said quietly and the Tattooed leaders face went white before he gave a shaky laugh.

  
“Ok, well done. Your all just messing with me aren’t you?” Gavin shut his own DS and leant forward, hands on his knees.

  
“What are you all on about?” he asked and Jeremy pointed to Geoff.

  
“We all had a nightmare about a spider eating Geoff.” He explained and Gavin shrugged.

  
“well I didn’t dream anything last night.” He said offhandedly and Geoff smiled at him thankfully. Michael came out of the trailer around the same time that Ryan returned. They found the other four, grouped around each other discussing all the reasons why some would have the same dream. When Geoff saw Michael he waved a hand at him.

  
“Michael, why’d you groan my name last night?” he asked directly and Michael flushed quickly pointing a blaming finger at Gavin.

  
“I wasn’t moaning shit, it was Gavin who was mouthing off last night!” he explained and Gavin put a hand to his chest.

  
“What? Me? I didn’t dream anything.” He said and Michael shook his head.

  
“You talk in your sleep fucking idiot. Between Jeremy tossing around and your fucking ‘Geoff, no Geoff…’ It’s a wonder I got to sleep deep enough to dream at fucking all.” He said scathingly and Geoff’s face drained of color again. Ryan grabbed his chair and pulled it close to listen into the conversation.

  
“What did you dream then Michael?” asked Jack as Geoff and Jeremy gazed at the curly haired man seriously. Gavin looked at the ground, eyebrows furrowed and Ryan looked between them all slowly, expression blank.

  
“Well thanks to this fuckwit,” Michael said defensively with a wave of the hand at Gavin, “I dreamt I was being chased and at the last second, Geoff shoved me aside and got himself got.” He said and wondered at the looks of weirdness that crossed everyone’s face save Ryan’s.

  
“Was it a spider?” jack asked after a long tense silence and groaned when Michael nodded.

  
“your all having a laugh aren’t you?” Gavin said and was met with serious drawn expressions, “there’s no way we all had the same dream.” He said softly but no one answered. Ryan shifted in his seat.

  
“So let me get this right. You all had a dream where Geoff was attacked by a spider?” he asked and got grave nods all around.

  
“Well it’s simple. We’ve all been playing too much mine craft. Then Geoff was yelling so I’m not surprised if the other guys heard it in their trailer. It’s herd mentality, plain and simple. It doesn’t mean anything Geoff.” He tried to calm everyone down but they were all too wound up by the situation to be much comforted.

  
“Maybe we should call Burnie and get an early pick up.” Suggested Jeremy and Michael scoffed, a bit back to his normal sharp self.

  
“and say what? ‘Burnie we had bad dweams and wanna go home. I don’t like camp, I miss my mummy!’” he mocked and there was weak laughter all around. Jeremy did chuckle but rolled his eyes at Michael.

  
“I guess your volunteering to be white girl number one?” he asked Michael, “this is classic horror movie set up. Everyone shares the same creepy dream in the middle of the woods. I say we leave, laugh all you want.” He said and waited for the laughter. No one did this time, considering his words. Ryan was the first to speak into the silence.

  
“Look, Jeremy I get your point. But seriously? You were all drunk last night. We had a big mine craft binge to record enough to leave this weekend before we got here. And if you remember, Geoff freaked like a little girl when that spider crawled on him last night. It’s not that weird you all had the same dream.”

  
“hang on a tick. Rye, did you dream last night?” Gavin asked, realizing Ryan was the only one who hadn’t contributed his own dream. Ryan shrugged and folded his arms.

  
“I’m the exception that proves the rule. I wasn’t drunk and I was last to go to bed so I was dead tired. I slept like a log until Geoff woke me up with his yelling.” Jack sighed and got up feeling much reassured.

  
“Ryan’s right, we play games for a living. It’s only natural we dream about it. Plus we spend almost every waking moment together so of course we’re gonna dream similar. Now I don’t know about you lot but I could go for a stiff drink.” He finished and went to the trailer with orders being shouted out after him. Michael and Gavin moved their chairs back to their spots and set about starting the fire. Ryan gave Geoff a reassuring smile and got up to get firewood for the morons arguing around the pit. Jeremy sat in jacks vacated seat so he could lean close to Geoff.

  
“I dunno Geoff. I don’t like this at all.” He said and saw Geoff’s face was drawn in suppressed fear.

  
“How do you think I feel? I hate spiders.” He muttered and took his whisky from Jack with a hand that trembled just slightly.


	3. It's a mad mad Camp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What would the guys do for immortality?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the moment you've all been waiting for... SNAP!

That night progressed similarly to the last with Ryan playing the role of cook. Tonight it was Steak or mince burgers with salad. They all drank again with the exception of Gavin who claimed he wanted to keep breakfast down tomorrow. Jack also went a little lighter, and of course Ryan stuck to his diet coke. All around the fire they felt a sense of camaraderie that they hadn’t in awhile.

  
“It’s a dumb as dicks idea Matt had doing this but I gotta say it’s nice hanging out with you guys outside of work.” Geoff said raising his glass to the fire. The five others copied him with a chorus of agreement and laughter. Ryan took a deep gulp of his drink and smacked his lips.

  
“yep, you’re the five guys I’d choose to give immortality too.” He said and Michael scoffed as everyone started laughing at the random comment.

  
“fucking what Ryan? You’d give us immortality?” he said with mirth and Ryan flushed.

  
“yeah you know, if I was a vampire or something, wouldn’t you want me to give you the gift?” he asked and Michael snorted again, “Not if I gotta fucking sparkle.” He said scathingly and Gavin piped up in agreement.

  
“I don’t think I could stand a life without food.” He said and Ryan shrugged.

  
“You’d be able to eat. Just you don’t need it to survive.” He clarified.

  
“I for one would love immortality, thank you Ryan. It would be the ultimate fuck you to my liver, never being able to escape alcohol poisoning.” Geoff spoke with a wide grin before draining his glass and refilling it with the bottle beside his chair.

  
“geez Geoff, just drink from the bottle, cut out the middle man.” Jack noted and Geoff raised a glass to him mockingly, taking a deep sip from it.

  
“Hey he’s a classy broad, let him drink from his fancy glass.” Jeremy said in Geoff’s defense and ducked as Geoff threw the last bite of his third burger at him. They broke up into laughter, discussing what they’d do if they were immortal and what it would mean. Mostly they agreed that they would probably give it to too many other loved ones and friends that it would be impractical for them to have it.

  
“Well what if the immortality was locked into a place? And only in that area can you not die?”

  
“can you not die? Your fucking moron.” Laughed Michael and Jack corrected Ryan’s phrasing, “In that area, you can not die. I wouldn’t take it. I’d want to travel around.”

  
“Oh you’d travel.” Said Ryan in his mad king voice and that cracked the group up once more.

  
“You’re a creepy motherfucker Ryan. What does that mean, ‘You’d travel’?” Asked jack with a chortle. Ryan just shrugged and threw his paper plate into the fire causing the flames to rear up momentarily highlighting him in their glow.

  
“I’d take immortality for sure. Who wouldn’t want to live forever?” Put in Jeremy and got a smile from Ryan. Gavin and Michael both said they’d love to be immortal, being able to fuck around throughout time and Geoff just repeated his desire to beat alcohol poisoning. Jack shook his head and said if everyone else was in so would he.

  
“So cough up the immortality Ryan.” Joked Gavin and Ryan rolled his eyes at him.

  
“I’ll get right on that.” He said back sarcastically and the conversation moved on.

That night Jack dreamt again. He dreamt he fell asleep at the fire, that Ryan had thrown him over a shoulder and carried him into the woods. Everyone else was there, thrown haphazardly into a pile together. Eyes shut and mouths lolling open, Jack dimly thought they seemed drugged. He slipped into a deeper sleep as Dream Ryan pressed something to his face, a thick cloying scent filling his mind…

 ----

“Shut up, I’m trying to sleep.” Jack slurred groggily as he listened to the lads shout and carry on. They didn’t stop and he blearily opened his eyes, preparing himself to yell at the inconsiderate guys. To his surprise he found that he wasn’t sitting by the fire like he was expecting. Instead everything was sideways across his vision, the floor pressed to his cheek was sticky. Fear trailed it’s fingers down his spine as he looked around and Gavin’s voice came into focus.

  
“Jack, Michael please, please wake up! Get up! Please! Oh god don’t be dead, GETUP!” he screamed and jack jerked at that last desperate order. From behind him he heard Gavin burst into relieved sobs as Jack struggled against bounds to roll and look at him.

  
They were in a dark room, the floor and walls splattered with old blood. In the middle of the room was a pole on which four hooks hung. There was a chest hidden in a corner and a few cupboards splayed around the tiny room. From the rickety stairs jack could see and the lack of windows, he assumed they were underground in some sort of basement. Gavin was behind him, pressed up against a wall, his legs tied together and his hands, also bound, in front of him. Beside him lay Michael, still and pale, blood leaking from his hairline. His arms were behind his back and his ankles were tied. The normally vibrant ginger was motionless and Gavin rocked so he could put his bound hands to Michaels face, smeared blood a testament to the fact this was not the first time Gavin had tried to rouse his friend.

  
“Jack thank god your alive.” Gavin sobbed, hands stroking Michaels face. “Michael won’t wake up and I couldn’t get you to move. I Didn’t know if you were alive.” He cried and shook Michael as he spoke.

  
“Where are we? What happened? What the fuck is going on!” Jack asked urgently, his throbbing head ignored as he fired his questions at Gavin.

As he spoke he pulled at the ropes ting his own limbs together tightly. They stayed firm but he continued as they talked until his shoulders ached.

  
“I don’t know!” wailed Gavin then he took a deep breath, visibly calming himself, “I just woke up here. I don’t even remember going to sleep. Just tossing about at the fire then I was here. I checked Michael who’s breathing but I couldn’t get over to you. I’ve been trying to wake you up for ages!” Jack scanned the room again and he tried to keep calm as he asked Gavin where the other three were.

  
“I don’t know. It was just us three when I woke up.” Gavin started to explain but fell silent as they heard the floorboards above creak and groan. Jack put all his strength into wiggling back until he could crawl up the wall on the other side of Gavin. The two pressed close together as heavy footsteps came down the stairs and Booted feet came into view.

  
The feet were connected to a man dressed all in black with a dark apron down his front. His face was hidden from their sight as the limp form of a bound Jeremy was on his shoulders. Jeremy moaned as he was thrown on the floor in front of them, body bouncing slightly from the force before settling on his back. Jack checked him over with his eyes, finding no visible injuries before looking up and turning to ice.

  
The man had one a disturbing wooden mask, it’s eye holes an empty black and its mouth set in a permanent fanged grin. Without a word the man wiped his bloodied hands down his equally bloodied apron and turned on his heels heading back upstairs. Once the sounds of him faded, Gavin whimpered beside Jack drawing him back into life.

  
“this can’t be happening. It’s a nightmare, a right bloody nightmare.” Gavin whispered rocking again in his ropes. Jack couldn’t find anything to say to that so instead fell into practicality. He fell forward and wiggled on his belly until his face was close to Jeremy’s. He nudged the younger man with his head.

  
“Jeremy, you ok? Wake up.” He said urgently, nudging him again when he saw Jeremy’s eyes flicker. Jeremy groaned and his own hands were tied in front of him like Gavin’s so he could raise them to his head.

  
“…Jack… Jack, that you?” he asked slowly and Jack gave a humorless chuckle of relief.

  
“yeah it’s me. Gavin and Michael are here too. What do you know?” He asked and Jeremy opened his eyes to look around, blood draining from his features.

  
“Oh god. Oh god, what the fuck?” he spat out and struggled to sit up. Once he had he looked down at Jack before helping the bigger gent to a sitting position.

  
“Jack what’s going on?!” he asked as he did so and Jack answered between grunts of effort to wiggle back to the wall with Gavin and Michael. Gavin was speaking low and urgently into Michaels ear and the younger lad had started to stir.

  
“How the fuck would I know?” Jack spat disparagingly and immediately regretted his tone. They were all terrified beyond belief and could only guess what was in store for them. Not to mention Ryan and Geoff were still missing.

  
“I’m sorry,” he said more softly this time and Jeremy nodded, a tear streaking down his face. Jack leant back against the wall and tested his bounds once more. Jeremy also started twisting and pulling his wrists, grunting in pain but keeping at it. Beside Jack Gavin cried out.

  
“He’s awake! Talk to me Boi!” he patted at Michael who had opened his eyes and was moaning softly.

  
“Shut the fuck up. God my head hurts.” He said and closed his eyes tightly. Like Jack, Michaels hands were behind his back. He was still too weak and out of it to jump immediately into rage mode, instead gazing around at their surroundings and quietly putting two and two together.

  
“Oh we’re fucked. Please tell me this is some fucking joke.” He begged and the others all despaired silently giving Michael his answer, “No, no, no, no. We are not fucking dying down here.” He spat and started to struggle more fiercely then the others had dared too. Spurred on by his efforts Jack and Jeremy doubled their attempts while Gavin told Michael to roll on his belly and tried to untangle the tight knots with his fingers. Kicking himself for being an idiot, jack turned so Jeremy could do the same to his own ropes.

  
The two lads cursed and groaned as they pulled their fingernails loose trying to untie the knots and Jack shushed them as over head, footsteps started again. Gavin stopped at the sound and Michael rolled so he could see the steps. Jeremy worked until the last moment when they saw up to the knees turn eth corner. As Jack moved to press against the wall he felt that one wrist was more loose then before. As subtly as he could, he twisted and worked his hand in the bound until the rope rubbed the flesh from his skin.

  
Geoff was on the Masked mans shoulder this time, hands bound in front and ankles tied. Unlike before, Geoff was awake and cursing.

  
“Mother fucking sicko! Let us go!” He roared wiggling hard until he slipped from the masked mans shoulder and fell down the stairs. Mask rolled his head in an exaggerated motion. He pulled from his side a club and smacked Geoff once with it, the tattooed leader yelling in pain. He picked up Geoff again and pulled him further into the room. He dropped him on the ground and gave him a parting kick.

  
Jack found his voice at the abuse of his friend. “What the fuck do you want from us asshole?!” he yelled at the bloodied figure. They tilted their head at him, the cold dead eyes of the mask unnerving him. Geoff struggled up onto his butt and shouted up at their captor.

  
“You won’t get away with this asswipe. We got people coming for us!” he bluffed and then they all fell silent at the most terrible thing they could imagine came from under that mask. The deep crazed laugh they all recognized as the Mad king.

  
“Ry-Ryan?” Stuttered Gavin voicing everyone’s disbelief. Sure enough, as a bloodied hand lifted away the mask, Ryan’s Handsome visage came into light, grinning madly at them.

  
“WHAT THE FUCK RYAN!” screamed Geoff, body rising with the strength of his yell. Ryan’s smile dropped and Jack saw fire burn in those stormy eyes as a boot connected with Geoff’s face. Geoff grunted with the impact and fell silent as his head spun.

  
“You guys are so fucking ungrateful!” Ryan spat down at Geoff before turning a glare on them all.

  
“can’t you see? Don’t you hear it? She’s offering us immortality! To live forever! Why do you ignore her?!” he cried, his voice rising. Jack understood first that Ryan had well and truly snapped so he moderated his tone to be calm.

  
“Ryan, we don’t understand. We just know you’ve tied as all up. What’s going on here buddy?” Ryan responded favorably to jacks friendliness and smiled at him.

  
“Do you want to live forever?” he sang softly, grinning wide as he started speaking again, “I got us a great deal Jack. We can live forever. The six of us. You’re my best friends, I don’t want us to ever be apart. She said we could be together forever Jack, right here.” He gestured around at the room then up the stairs.

  
“Our own world. To play here under her eyes, together. It’s the best game there is!” he broke off into mad laughter again and Geoff managed to gather his wits enough to speak.

  
“Ryan, You need to let us go buddy. I don’t know why you’re playing the pronoun game but there’s only you here. Just you, holding your friends hostage ok bud?”

  
“Geoff! Think about it. Why would I bring you here just to kill you unless there was something more?” Ryan said passionately holding out a hand to his trapped friends. Jack worked furiously at his loosened hand, feeling it start to come out of the rope. Ryan focused on Jacks face as a flush of triumph crossed the bearded mans features. Jeremy knew what jack was doing and spoke up to distract Ryan.

  
“What game are we meant to play Rye-bread?” he gave the nickname in an attempt to sooth the unhinged man. It worked, Ryan turning his gaze to Jeremy.

  
“It’s simple Lil’J. Easiest game in the world. Upstairs is a junkyard. Scattered throughout the junkyard are generators. Get five going and the two doors to this area will open. Get through them and you win!”

  
“Win what?” Gavin asked carefully as Ryan turned his disturbing look on the brit.

  
“Life,” he said quietly, that mad, mad smile still plastered on his face. He hefted the club that was still in his hand and twirled it. “Of course, the challenge is to get the generators going and escape before I can find you. If I do, well…” he trailed off and looked up at the bloodied hooks behind him. He grinned down at them and they knew their friend was lost in whatever madness that gripped him now. Michael rallied his anger and started shouting at Ryan, Jack using the distraction to shake the last of his ropes from his hands. Carefully Jeremy leant so that Jacks free hands could start untying his own wrists.

  
“You’re a crazy mother fucker Ryan! This is not a fucking video game! There is no immortality fuckface! You got to let us go before you do something you’ll regret forever. If we die Ryan we just Fucking die! What the fuck? Do you think you’re a real killer or something? We’re your fucking friends! Let us go and we’ll get you help! You obviously fucking need it!” Michael ranted and Ryan glared at the hot tempered red head. He pointed the club at him menacingly as he spoke low.

  
“Michael. That’s type casting. I’m not the chosen killer because I always play the murderer. I was chosen because my mind is open to the possibilities. Look I’ll show you. I’ve already had it done last night and now I’m immortal and you can too.” He sheathed his weapon then started tugging at his clothes, untying his apron as the others looked on in fear and confusion.

  
Jack managed to get Jeremy's hands free and Lil’J started working quietly on his legs as jack leant over to Gavin, the brit trembling as his bonds were loosened. Only Michael, Geoff and Gavin were concentrating fully on Ryan, getting the other two’s attentions when they let out horrified gasps. With the apron gone and the shirt rucked up, Ryan exposed a chest that had been mutilated. Slivers of flesh hung from deep gouges, deep blood oozing from the wounds slower than they should be. Near his shoulder was a gaping hole that showed the white of his collar bone. Every inch of skin was marred with a different color bruise and darkened by blood. Ryan lifted a finger and dug it into a gash across his midsection, blood spurting before dripping sluggishly down the line of his stomach.

  
“See? It doesn’t even hurt for me anymore. It’s my reward for being a good sacrifice.”

  
“S-S-sacrifice?” stuttered Geoff, eyes locked on Ryan’s fatal injuries. Ryan laughed again and dropped his shirt, re-tying his apron.

  
“Sacrifice.” He breathed fervently, “I can do the same for you. You’ll see. You’ll thank me.” He said and reached out, grabbing Geoff by the ropes that tied his wrists together. Geoff started screaming for Ryan to let him go, struggling with all his might but Ryan had the strength of the deranged. As the others cried out and ripped at their bounds, trying to get legs or arms free, Ryan lifted Geoff up like a child. He turned and eyed the hooks as Geoff beat at him with tied fists.

  
“No!! DON’T DO IT RYAN!” Screamed the Achievement hunters but their old friend ignored them, deftly hooking Geoff through the shoulder on the hook. Blood spurted and Geoff screamed in agony, writhing on the cold metal. Ryan was laughing as Jack finally got his legs free. He gazed at Geoff for a long moment, his best friend gurgling as blood dripped from his lips. Geoff’s eyes were wide and pleading but he broke gaze with Jack to look down at the lads, all in different states of distress. Jack understood the silent message and as Geoff started begging Ryan for mercy, distracting the psycho path, jack leant down and helped the lads out of their ropes.

  
“Geoff, just let it take you. Relax and be received into the warmth of the fire.” Ryan said soothingly, unheedful of the escape behind him. Geoff wriggled on the hook, crying out again.

  
“Please!” he spluttered, blood flecking Ryan’s face, “Ryan don’t, Please, Ryan… No” he couldn’t form a complete sentence and Ryan simply tilted his head.

  
“Shush Geoff. A little death before you can live forever. I’m your friend. I wouldn’t kill you permanently. Here I’ll help you along!” He lived his club just as the others all got to their feet, not quick enough to stop him bringing it down on Geoff’s head. His skull gave in with a sickening crack and his struggles stopped.

  
“GEOFF!!” chorused the four and Ryan spun, eyes burning with madness, dripping club raised in front of him.

  
“I helped him to Immortality.” He said and Jack tried to throw himself at the monster. Three sets of hands closed around his arms, stopping him from getting to Ryan who had stopped cackling, looking up in fear.

  
“No! wait! I did what you said! I killed him! Please no! I’m sorry I didn’t wait. He is my friend I couldn’t let him suffer!” he started crying out, lifting both arms to the roof. Jack could only see the limp form of Geoff hanging there behind the madman. One eye was still open, the blue standing out among the red. Perhaps seeing his best friend die drove Jack over the edge of madness as he saw that eye move to look at him.

Those dead lips stayed still but he heard Geoff’s voice in his ear.

  
_“Run Jack. Run!”_

  
Jack obeyed, the lads clinging to him as they bolted by Ryan who was cringing and holding his head screaming nonsense.

  
“No I’m sorry! I’ll leave them for you I promise! AHHHHH!!” he screamed in pain and Jeremy spared one last look to see something he just couldn’t believe. Darkness was gathering around the Killer and his victim, long legs extending out of the dark to surround Geoff’s body. Ryan’s head was flying back and forth in a blur as the man screamed and screamed.

  
Jeremy fled with the others into a nightmare world


	4. I don't beilive in Ghosts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're out of the basment. Now to get out of the yard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So geoff wasn't there during the let's play and they all could hear each other clearly no matter where they were... two birds one stone explanation?

They fled into the dimness that was neither day nor night. Just a foggy in-between time. No one paused to look around however, their fear making them fleet of foot. It wasn’t until Michael stopped; chest heaving and side aching that he realized he had lost the others. All around the junkyard, the others came to the same conclusion.

  
Jack gave a broken sob, cutting it off with a hand to his mouth, trying to get himself under control. He just couldn’t believe Geoff died like that. He couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact Ryan had killed for real.

  
 _“Well get your mind wrapped around it idiot, you’re not out of danger yet.”_ Came Geoff’s voice in his ear. Jack, startled, yelled out with fear, twisting on the spot, head turning back and forth trying to locate the disembodied voice.

  
_“I’m dead Jackass. You’re not going to see me.”_ Geoff said scathingly and Jack started to blubber at the proof he had really gone insane. He collapsed to the ground, head in hand, crying involuntarily. He could almost feel Geoff’s sympathy.

  
_“Come on man. We don’t have time for that. You got to get up and move. Ryan’s punishment is almost over and he’ll be after you guys.”_ Geoff sounded sad but sincere and Jack nodded his head, getting to his feet slowly as the ghost of his friend encouraged him.

  
 _“That’s it Jack, buddy. There you go, on your feet. Now go that way. See the cupboard? Hide there and take a few breaths. I’ll be right back ok?”_ Geoff’s voice said and Jack followed the advice numbly, stumbling towards the hiding space.

  
Across the junkyard, Michael crept, the only sound he could hear was the too loud beat of his heart. He scanned the spaces between the towers of old tires and scrap metal before dashing across from one to the other. Once in cover again he let himself take a few deep breaths before continuing. He had no idea where he was going or where the others were but he did know Ryan would come for him soon. His reaction to the disembodied voice of Geoff was different to Jacks.

  
“ _Good work Michael. Do you remember what he said? Get the generators.”_ When he heard Geoff’s voice, Michael hunkered down, trying to make himself as small as possible.

  
“Calm down. Calm down. Ok your just crazy now. It’s the stress. Just ignore it.” He coached himself and flinched as Geoff spoke again.

  
_“You’re not crazy. I am here. I’m going to help you boys out of here alright? Ryan is still insane but he wasn’t wrong that something supernatural is happening here.”_

  
“I don’t believe in ghosts, I don’t believe in fucking ghosts.” Michael chanted to himself, pressing his hands together rhythmically trying to get his wits under wraps. He could almost see in his mind’s eye Geoff rolling his eyes.

  
_“Fine, just believe this ghost. Get the generators. I got to check on the others.”_

Michael’s eyes swam but he blinked back the tears angrily.

  
Jeremy was already at a generator, silently cursing the sound of the cranking of the engine. When Geoff spoke he was the only one to not express surprise, shock going so far to numb him and what he saw in the basement opened his mind to the unnatural.

  
 _“good boy Lil’J!”_ Geoff crowed in his ear and Jeremy shushed him, giving into the fantasy that Geoff was still alive. Geoff obediently left him to it tracking down the last of the living Achievement hunters. Gavin was curled up in a corner, eyeing a generator but too scared to move. In this frozen state, he didn’t move a muscle as his sanity crumbled around him.

  
_“Gavvers, I know your scared but you need to move. You need to work together and get those generators online. He may be mad as dicks but Ryan wasn’t lying. They’re your only shot out of here.”_ Geoff came to him, voice quiet and soothing. Gavin forced himself to nod but didn’t uncurl. He heard Geoff’s exasperated sigh, almost imaging the breath of it against the back of his neck.

  
 _“I’m here Gavin. You’re not alone. The others are out there, you need to help them.”_ He encouraged and like ice breaking, Gavin started to move in jerky movements. He made his unsteady way to the generator, starting to see how it was put together.

  
Jack had calmed down some, body tense but under control once more when Geoff’s voice sounded once more in his mind.

  
“ _Ok, the others are heading to generators. Your turn big guy.”_

  
“Geoff your dead.” Jack whispered.

  
 _“Yeah no shit. Thanks a lot for your help by the way.”_ Geoff said angrily and jack shut his eyes guilt flowing through him.

“I’m so fucking sorry.” He moaned out and Geoff’s ghost took pity on him.

 _“Hey, no. It’s ok jack. Ryan made it quick and nothing hurts now. What’s important is you got the lads out. Now you need to help them.”_ Jack nodded in the dark and put hand to the door, peeking out to check if the coast was clear. His spirit guide told him Ryan wasn’t around and trusting in Geoff, he came out of hiding. He began sneaking around a wall of scrap and felt Geoff’s presence leave as a large echoing thud sounded across the yard.

  
“Fuck!” Jeremy cursed aloud as the generator he was working on blew up in his face. He put out a hand to keep working but Geoff’s voice sounded shrill in his ear, striking fear deep into his heart.

  
_“Fucking run! He heard you! Run!”_

Jeremy didn’t hesitate, fleeing from the offending generator as fast as his legs could take him. Heart beats thundered in his ears and he felt Geoff’s comforting presence at his back, willing him on. After a time he slowed down, trying to breath quietly and listen for Ryan. A tear slid down his face and he gasped as he heard the heavy tread behind the scrap wall he hid behind.

  
“I know you’re here.” Came the singsong voice of Ryan. “I can track your running. A gift from above.” Jeremy started to back away slowly, putting a tree between Ryan and himself as the killer rounded the corner. Ryan’s mask was back on but the familiar voice of his friend sounded in the gloom.

  
“Come out, come out… Come on, it only hurts for a little then your free! Free of mortal life.” He tried to lure Jeremy out but he stayed quiet, rotating so the tree was kept between them. After what felt like forever, another thud echoed towards them and he heard Gavin’s distinctive squawk. Ryan set off at speed and Jeremy allowed himself a small sob before he hunkered down on the ground to breath.

  
 _“follow him.”_ Geoff said urgently and Jeremy almost choked on his fear.

  
“Are you insane? You may be dead but I want to live!” he argued but Geoff came back with an argument that had the Big hearted man called Little J hurrying after the psycho that wished to kill him.

  
_“Ryan’s going to kill Gavin.”_

  
Michael heard them fucking up the generators and wished them luck. His own training as a electrician giving him an advantage trying to fix these cursed things. As he heard Gavin’s generator explode, his own came to life. Lights flooded the area and his victory turned sour in his gut. He ran from the scene.

  
He screamed as he slammed into Jack who was running the other way. The two paused, gazing at each other with horrified expressions before Michael recovered and grabbed the big man’s arm. He tugged Jack into a run behind him, not stopping until there was some distance and a few walls between them and where they made noise. They knelt down together and Jack enfolded him into a welcome bear hug.

  
“I’m so fucking happy to see you.” Michael said into jacks neck and felt the big man shudder with feeling.

  
“Michael, your alive. This is fucking insane.” He said back as they broke apart.

  
“Little J? Gav?” Michael asked but jack shook his head.

  
“I haven’t seen them or Ryan for that matter but they’ve been fucking up like no tomorrow.”

  
 _“They won’t reach tomorrow if you don’t help._ ” Both men jumped at Geoff’s voice then went wide as the others reaction sunk in.

  
“you heard him?!” they asked at the same time. “Holy shit you heard him too.” They answered together and Geoff’s stressed chuckle shocked them both.

  
 _“Ok that’s entertaining but Ryan’s going for Gavin and Jeremy is trying to get to him.”_ Michael nodded seriously, still eyeing Jack out of the corner of his eye to make sure the older man wasn’t playing at being as crazy as he was.

  
“Let’s knock him out. Four on one. It’ll be easy.” He said with a fire for defiance in his voice as Jack shook his head and Geoff’s ghost backed him up.

  
_“No! Something isn’t right here.”_

  
“No shit Geoff your dead.”

  
 _“Shut up Michael. I mean that Ryan is not human anymore. He’s been changed. He’s faster than you are and stronger then you are. I’m running myself ragged trying to keep you guys safe from him!”_ Geoff really did sound exhausted and Jack in another time and place would have been amused for the concern he felt for his dead friend. Not now though, with his heartbeat dim in his ears and a monster stalking the darkness.

  
 _“I got an idea.”_ Geoff said suddenly and then went quiet. Jack looked to Michael and took that final plunge towards his insanity, addressing Geoff directly.

  
“What is it?” and he felt Geoff’s presence start to fade. He put out a hand, unsure why he was grasping for a ghost, panic at Geoff’s leaving in his voice.

  
“Wait Geoff!” he cried and Michael shushed him harshly. Geoff rallied for a moment to speak once more.

  
_“Ok I think I can do it. I can spread myself out so you can all speak to each other no matter where you are in the yard. The flip side is I can’t speak to you anymore.”_

Jack cried once more at that and even stoic Michaels eyes brimmed over with tears.

 _“come on guys, I’ll still be here. As long as you can hear one another, I’ll be watching over you. I love you guys.”_ Geoff said in his dad dying voice and Jack and Michael latched onto each other again, feeling as if Geoff was dyeing all over again. They felt the brush of his presence against their huddle and the faded echo of his laugh then he was gone. Instead they heard Gavin in their minds.

  
“Ryan no! Ryan bugger off! Leave me alone!” Before they could react they heard a voice they weren’t prepared for.

  
Ryan’s deep mad laughter loud in their ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there will be more but what you guys think of geoff conecting them all? sorry for the feels but hey it was in the tags that someone dies. You all know what you were getting into lol :)


	5. Escape or die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Geoff has made it so everyone can speak to eahc other from a distance. Can they use that advantage to work together an escape? Ryan spirals into deeper madness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... you know where this is going. Sorry in advance

Jeremy crept behind a rock as Ryan stalked Gavin who was running and screaming. Suddenly Gavin sounded in his ears and he put his head down, thinking perhaps Gavin had doubled back. Then he heard Ryan’s deep laughter boom in his mind and for a moment all humanity fled from Jeremy’s body. Like a hunted animal he fled, brain not registering loyalty or friendship, just pure flight response to the madness that echoed in his mind.

  
“What’s this? Is this another gift from you my god?” Ryan spoke deep in Jeremy’s consciousness.

  
“I can hear you Gavin. I hear you like your right next to me.” He crooned and Gavin's voice came to Jeremy where he threw himself in a defensive huddle under the long grass.

  
“Sod off Ryan!” he said weakly and Ryan laughed again. Jeremy's arms closed around his head and he whimpered to himself, sanity broken under the weight of his fear. Now Michael was in his mind, berating Ryan as if he had simply become a team killer when things were safe and normal behind their screens.

  
“It’s Geoff you bastard! The friend you killed! Remember him? He’s helping us Fucktard because he now hates your crazy ass!” At this Jeremy peeked between his arms, looking around to see if Ryan was near. Was that true? He had heard Geoff before but that was his own insanity wasn’t it? He hadn’t really seen spider legs around Geoff’s broken hanging body, did he? He needed to test this way of speaking.

  
“Michael?” he asked, his voice small and broken. “Jeremy! Your ok!” he heard Jack answer followed closely by Michael and Gavin speaking over each other.

  
“I can hear you J!”

  
“What the bloody hell is going on?”

  
“This is going to be fun.” Ryan’s comment silenced them for a moment then Jack was speaking again.

  
“Gavin did you get away?” he asked and Jeremy uncurled himself. Even if Ryan was on the same wavelength, this way of speaking was going to have advantages. No more was he alone in the dark, the sporadic presence of his dead friend the only comfort.

  
“Oh he sure did.” Ryan answered setting Michael off again.

 “Shut up Ryan, no one’s talking to you.”

Jeremy set himself up at a generator, ears open for the sounds of Ryan’s approach.

  
“get the generators Michael. Just concentrate on that.” He coached and Gavin swore as something exploded quiet near where Jeremy was fixing his unit. Gavin’s blew up again then Michael cursed as further away his exploded.

  
“Well your sure doing a good job at spreading my attention.” Ryan said consolingly.

  
“god Ryan, just stop. Let us go. You’ve already killed Geoff.”

  
“Have I? Have I really? By your own admission, Geoff is still with us. Still helping you.” As Ryan spoke, his voice got louder in Jeremy’s mind until he realized he heard it with his ears. His heart beat started to thunder once more and he ducked away from his generator to hide.

  
“Just let me hook you. Just let me sacrifice you. You’ll live forever after your dead.” Ryan promised madly as Jeremy hid. He listened intently for pursuit as Jack continued in his head.

  
“You can’t believe that Ryan. You’ve killed one of your best friends. You can’t come back from that.”

Jeremy closed his eyes, trying hard to breath quietly as he heard Ryan stalk back and forth.

“Jeremy…” he taunted right in the shorter mans ear and laughed as Jeremy took off screaming. Heart was deafening in his ears as Jeremy ran shrieking from someone he once called friend.

  
“Jeremy you’re going to be alright!” called Gavin but Jeremy didn’t believe him, sobbing as he ran, Ryan on his heels. He stumbled as he felt his shoulder connect with Ryan’s club. His whole side went numb and he pulled the effective arm to his side, fright spurring him on through the numbness.

  
“He hit me! Oh god he hit me!” he shouted and through Ryan’s cackling heard jack yell.

  
“Jeremy's down! Oh no!”

  
“No! no! I’m still running but I’m hurt.” He informed them, Jumping through a low ledge to try to slow the killer on his heels.

  
“Come here Jeremy. Jeremy..” Ryan called his name over and over, Jeremy tripping and sobbing with fright as blood soaked his shirt on his back.

  
“Guys help me!” he screamed as Ryan caught up with him, this time the club hitting the back of his head, bringing his prey down. Jeremy extended a hand like he was going to crawl but Ryan snaked a hand through his belt. He lifted him into the air one handed, placing him over his shoulder. Jeremy looked around in a daze, vision blurred and a high pitched ring to his ears. He heard the guys talking over one another in a panic, only Ryan’s voice clear.

  
“I’m gonna hook ya. I’m gonna hook ya.”

  
“No! No don’t hook me! Ryan no!” he called, wriggling franticly but it was too late. Like Geoff before him he was lifted, screaming onto a hook. Jeremy felt it go through him almost as if he were outside his body. There was a beat then the pain hit, causing him to choke and gurgle. He thrashed and his arms were forced up to grab the cold metal above him. Despite the lancing pain he started to swing, trying to pull himself off the hook as the others screamed in his head and Ryan laughed.

  
“guys help me!” he choked out as he attempted to escape.

Within his mind he heard Ryan whisper, “that was so satisfying. Just like you said it would be my god.”

 Out of the corner of his eyes Jeremy saw something appear. Like fire solidifying into black flesh all-around him. It wasn’t until he caught a sharp leg jabbing at his chest did he realize what it was.

  
“Oh it’s going to claw-I’m going to get clawed by a giant spider!” he screamed, his throat raw from the exertion. He fought to keep it away from his heart as he heard Gavin and Michael discuss saving him. He held onto hope as Ryan had fallen silent and was nowhere in sight.

  
“Help me! Help me! AHHHHHH!” his cries sounded into the empty night.

  
“Sure looks like he’s gonna eat ya.” Ryan’s voice sounded out of nowhere as Jeremy struggled for his life.

 “Oh god Ryan!” he begged his old friend, the only one who could help him now, but the killer lapsed back into silence. Hope blossomed within his tortured body when he saw someone scurrying towards him.

  
“It’s gonna eat me! It’s gonna eat me!” he cried out to encourage them to move faster.

  
“It’s not going to eat you Lil’J I’m here.” Gavin reassured, hooking his arms around Jeremy’s waist and start to lift him up and away from the metal and the spider. Jeremy tried to shriek a warning as he saw Ryan materialize from nowhere behind his rescuer.

  
“Save YOURSELF!” his voice broke but it was too late. With a roar from Ryan and an answering terrorized scream from Gavin, the brit was torn from Jeremy. Jeremy let go of the leg with one hand, helpless outstretching it to Gavin as he was dragged away from him by his hair.

  
“Gavin! Noo-“ he was cut off as his strength gave way and the spiders sharp leg bit deep into his chest, puncturing his organs. Blood poured from his mouth as he went limp, Gavin watching shrieking as he was dragged backwards. From the night sky descended something that belonged in nightmares, not reality and just before Ryan stopped to pick him up, he saw Jeremy’s body fade as the legs that encircled him lift the husk into the air.

  
“I need another hook. One more hook.” Ryan mused to himself as Gavin thrashed against his hold.

  
“Someone rescue me or Jeremy!” he called, mind refusing to register what he had seen.

  
“Jeremy's dead!” jack wailed back and elsewhere a generator tore into life. Michael leant back from his handwork before he looked around and started to move towards where he hoped Gavin was.

  
“where are you?” he asked in desperation, his grief at Jeremy’s death suspended at the need to rescue Gavin.

  
“ah here we are, a hook just for you.” Ryan cooed as jack huddled deep in his hiding spot. He heard the Murderer and his cargo walk by, holding his breath in fear. They passed and he heard Gavin both in mind as well as ear, howl as a he was hooked up.

  
“Just gonna put that right there.” Ryan said, humor in his voice and jack peeked out the door to see him walk away as Gavin bawled and gripped the hook embedded deep within him. Jack gathered all his courage and snuck out from the relative safety towards Gavin, determined that another of his friends were not going to die tonight. As he approached Gavin's swinging body, Jack thought to himself how brutal this was.

  
“Jack, Michael.” Called Ryan as Gavin grunted and with a feat of strength and flexibility that surprised even himself, threw himself from the hook. He hit the ground with a thud and a whimper as the spider entity faded from around the hook. Jack rushed forward and laid a hand on Gavin’s side, helping the younger man into a crouch. Gavin pressed a hand to the hole in his shoulder, blood thickly oozing through his fingers. They heard their hearts start to thunder and by silent agreement, split up.

  
“Michael, jack…” Ryan called again and Michael, ever the brave one taunted back, “Pretty sure their dead.” Jack slipped back into his hiding spot as Gavin moved his shocked body away from the hook. It wasn’t quick enough as Ryan gave a crow of delight and Jack shut his eyes as he heard a wet thunk.

  
“Hi Gavin! Who let you off huh?”

  
“I did it myself!” he shot back, protecting Jack who tried so hard not to cry and waste Gavin’s gift. Ryan threw his old friend onto his shoulder, turning back to the hook.

  
“Well you stay hooked.” He chastened his prey and as Gavin cried over and over how he didn’t want to be hooked, expertly threaded the brit back through the same hole. Gavin shrieked and Jack and Michael felt despair at their friends fear and pain.

  
“You stay hooked this time. I’m just going to hit ya so the message sinks in.” Ryan warned but as he raised his club Gavin gave a death cry as the spider materialized around him, sinking into his tortured body with sharp piercing legs.

  
“No! you bastard! Fuck Ryan! No!” Michael cried out in agony from across the yard, unable to make it to them in time. Jack simply put his head against the wooden door and cried brokenly.

  
“Gavin...” Michael called hopelessly and Ryan laughed.

  
“Two to go.” He said, his voice echoing in their minds.

  
Jack didn’t know how much time had gone by as he wept in his cupboard but micheals broken cries finally stired him.

  
“Please jack. Please… don’t… don’t leave me. Jack?” Michael cried somewhere in this nightmare world and Jack slapped himself, the sharp sting bringing him back to the present.

  
“I’m here Michael.” He answered and Michael started forcefully whispering. “Don’t you ever go quiet on me again! Do you fucking here me? Jack!”

  
“I hear you.” Jack said, ashamed of himself for leaving Michael alone in this dark world. Slowly he started out from his hiding spot once more, avoiding the place where gavins body had hung, the blood still puddle beneath the wooden beam.

  
“I hear you too.” Ryan said pleasantly, then began to sing in a childish voice, “Michael and Jack, sitting in a tree, going to feeeeeed meeee.” He rumbled into quiet and Jack slithered forward a few more paces towards where he last heard Michael working on a generator.

  
“Jack.”

  
“yes Michael?”

  
“I’m sorry I was such a fucking asshole to you.”

  
“It’s ok Michael.” Jack soothed, trying not to let micheals broken spirit effect his. He needed to save someone. Anyone. Only Michael was left and Jack didn’t think he’d survive the heartbreak if Ryan killed the tempered rage quit star. To hear him so tonless, apologizing no less was something that killed a lot of hope inside jack. Deep inside, where he refused to visit, he knew they weren’t leaving this place alive.

  
“Your not even fat anymore.” Michael commented and Jack let out a wet chuckle.

  
“thanks Michael. Your not even obnoxious anymore. Well most days.” He was rewarded with a cheap laugh from Michael at that. He heard cranking in the distance and made his way towards it.

  
“we have three generators right?” he asked Michael who confirmed it for him. Then silence in mind and in life reigned, the cranking stopped.

  
“Where are you?” Ryan called and Jack felt his heart in his throat as his friend turned stalker stombed by within inches of where he hid in the long grass.

  
“Michael, I saw you ran from me. Why run? Were friends aren’t we?” he taunted and both jack and Ryan knew that the traitor was close as there was no snappy come back. Jack closed his eyes and prayed to whatever could be listening to save them. His prays went unanswered.

  
“Hello!” rang out Ryan and Jack heard the thud of club meeting flesh as Michael yelped.

  
“I ran right into him!” he shouted and Jack saw from his spot movment. Michael was crawling through the grass, directionless, one arm useless. Around him the grass moved of it’s own accord and Jack squinted, thankful that his glasses were still on his face. A hazy figure moved back and forth around micheals downed form.

  
“Jack, he’s cloaked.” Michael spat out, confirming his fear. Ryan appeared once more and kicked Michael in annoyance.

  
“Just give away trade secrets why don’t ya?” he leant over and pulled Michael up onto his shoulder, bait useless now jack had been warned.

  
“Another gift from the spider god. You’ll see once you’re dead. You’ll be rewarded too.” Jack watched as Michael struggled on ryans shoulder, following at a discreet distance.

  
“stop wiggling, you’re just pissing me off.”

  
“then I’ll keep doing it then you fuck!” Michael swore, hitting the back of Ryans head with his good arm and kicking with his legs. A lucky blow knocked the mask from Ryans face and he sighed. He paused over it for a moment then moved on, Michael swearing bloody murder on his shoulder, Jack trailing behind. As he passed over the mask, he looked down, dimly noting the inside of the mask was bloodied.

  
“You’re a fucking sick bastard Ryan! We were your friends! We were your fucking friends!” Michael called out but Ryan simply lifted him at another hook.

  
“Here’s a good hooking,” he murmered as he slid his former workmate into place with a wet squelch. He stood back and admired his work as Michael swang to and fro, coughing and spluttering.

  
“You are my friends Michael. You’ll thank me when you are born again.” He reassured the man as they cursed at him and spat. Ryan tried to wipe the blood off his face but it just smeared the mess that was already there.

  
Michael looked down at the creature that used to be his friend and saw that the monster had taken him over. Where cool blue eyes used to be were pits that flamed red. His mouth was unnaturally wide, lips splitting at either side to extend the grin. His teeth were pointed and his tongue was thick were it licked at the blood on his lips. Blood leaked from his eyesockets, nose and mouth. Michael knew he was dead.

  
“Jack, save yourself.” He coughed out as the spiders legs solidified around him. He held them back so he could try to warn jack.

  
“Jack run. Just run. It’s to late for me. Run!” he garbled out, the hook having knicked his lung so he was dying faster then the other had.

  
“Oh that looks yummy.” Said Ryan coldly. From behind the killer, jack poked his head out of cover to meet Micheals eyes. Ryan grinned once more and walked to the side, fading into oblivion. Jack saw him leave and even as Michael shook his head, beyond words at this point, jack couldn’t leave him to die like this. He rushed forward, hands outstretched to catch Michael. Micheals eyes rolled up into his head as he gave a dieing gurgle, his hands falling to his sides and the spider penetrating his chest cavity with slick noises.

  
“NOO!” jack called and his fingers brushed micheals wet chest just as a club made contact between his shoulderblades. His breath left his body at the forceful hit but he pulled himself up and ran. Ryan followed close behind him, club swining inches from him.

  
“Jack! Comehere jack!”

  
“Shit, shit, shit! Shit! Shit, shit!” was all he could manage to say as he ran blindly through the fog. He jumped over a ledge and weaved between trees to no avail. Suddenly he was pulled up short as his foot caught inbetween a tree root and a large rock.

  
“Oh no Jack!” rumbled Ryan behind him and jack gave into utter anguish. Ryan smacked him again with the club and pulled him onto his shoulder.

  
“Which hook you want to go on? That hook? How about this one?” Ryan joked as he threaded his way through the yard, showing his victim his choices. Jack wriggled weakly, more a bodily function then a real effort or even desire to escape. All his friends were dead. Ryan was completely insane or possessed, it didn’t matter which. Even if by some miracle he managed to get off Ryans shoulder, he knew his injurys would slow him down and there were still three generators to fix.

  
No, Jack wished for it to just be over. Perhaps he will see the guys again in the afterlife. His glases slipped from his wet nose and were trodden underfoot by Ryan who had finally made his choice.

  
“this one will hook you real good.” He told Jack who gave one final jerk before he was lifted up. Before he met with the hook, Ryans burning eyes gazed into his. The fire burnt down and he could almost see the blue of his friend.

  
“I’m sorry Jack but it’s over now. Run to the fire. I’ll see you there.” He said crptically. Jack looked at him puzzled, barely realizing the hook slice through his flesh. He stared at Ryan in befuddlement, the killers face melting into that of the Ryan he knew.

  
Light brown hair, stormy blue eyes. A wide smile but not unnaturally so. That face looked at him with something like an apology on it’s features as the spider took it’s last sacrifice.

  
“I’ll see you by the fire. Forgive me.” Ryans voice echoed as the world faded into blissful nothingness…

  
MONSTER WINS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But wait, theres one more done!


	6. By the fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the guys gather together in limbo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a quick edit. just letting you all know that the family Ryan speaks of is just OC in respect to keeping his actual family out of it. Likewise i'm not sure how jeremys wife feels about it so thats why she's not mentioned. Of course Meg and Lindsay have said there ok so they got mentions :) just wanted to clear that up anywho enjoy!

Jeremy floated in the darkness, his injuries fading into nothingness. He felt clean and whole again, sighing in content. Dimly he felt something poking at him but he ignored it, the sensations unpleasant but not hurtful. After the pain he went through, little pin pricks weren’t going to bug him. That was until the large stab directly into his heart.

  
He screamed, hands coming around the black limb as the spider thrashed deeper into his body. Pain lanced out through every nerve and if he hadn’t already died, he would have died from the sheer pain of it. He felt amusement all around him as he was impaled, darkness seeping through his body from his heart. His whole being afire, he hung there for a timeless period.

  
A never ending moment of pure agony.

  
Then it was gone and he found himself in a corporal body once more. His eyes were shut and his body, face down in what felt like dirt. He stirred slowly and looked up. The dirt was grey and blended perfectly with the wall of fog that surrounded him and what seemed to be a glowing camp fire. He looked at it in puzzlement then remembering, ran a hand down his chest. It felt whole beneath his touch but he didn’t trust that to be real until he sat up and pulled up his shirt. Smooth unblemished skin met his eye and he ran his hand over it once more.

  
Satisfied his injuries were gone, he got to his feet, staring about. There was nothing so far as the eye could see. Just an endless fog with this campfire in the middle. Not knowing what else to do he started away from the fire in a random direction. He fell into a jog, lungs working fine once more. He squinted as ahead a light grew brighter.

  
He speed up until it resolved itself into the shape of another campfire. He slowed down to drudge into the circle of light, looking around. This fire was identical to the first. He frowned and with a foot scratched an arrow into the dirt before setting off again.

  
He almost could guess what would happen when he saw a familiar light a few minutes later. Sure enough he halted by the fire, his arrow now pointing away from him. He leant on his knees sucking in deep breaths. His mind turned over the puzzle and he was no closer to a solution when he heard approaching footsteps. He straightened and looked to where he thought they were coming from in time to see a figure approach him.

  
Tall and lanky, the form solidified into Gavin who stumbled into the light and fell down on his face breathing hard. Jeremy dropped to his knees by his friend and yanked up a torn and bloodied shirt. Gavin’s back was marred in deep bruising and lacerations where the skin broke from the force of clubbed hits. There was a sickening hole in his shoulder, bone glinting and another popping out beside his spine. Jeremy knew Gavin shouldn’t be breathing with those wounds but sure enough he kept sucking in pained breaths.

  
Then before his eyes, the bruising started to fade and flesh strung itself across the injuries. Within moments Gavin’s back was clear of any sign of fatal wounds, even the blood fading into nothingness. Jeremy let Gavin’s shirt fall back, now clean and fixed, to fall onto his ass in shock.

  
“Jeremy? Jeremy your alive?” Gavin called, his eyes opening and following the crossed legs to Jeremy's face. He threw himself into Jeremy's arms, both of them falling back into the dirt as Gavin squeezed his friend tight.

  
“I tried! I tried so hard to save you! You died Jeremy! I watched you die!” he cried into Jeremy who felt his own tears threaten. He hugged the brit back and opened his mouth to speak. He couldn’t find the words though as Gavin seized his head in both hands and kissed him hard on the lips. He pulled back and took in Jeremy’s shocked expression with a grin.

  
“No homo mate, I’m just so happy to see your alive!” he crowed and hugged Jeremy once more. Jeremy patted his back helplessly, unable to articulate any thoughts just then. The patting seemed to remind Gavin of something as he pulled himself away and upright, doing the same check on himself that Jeremy had.

  
“Hang on a tick. I was sodding dead too! I felt myself die…” he trailed off, his fingers tickling where the spider had eviscerated him.

  
“I was healed too. I drifted then I was in so much pain,” Jeremy’s voice broke as he tried to explain his story, “ then I woke up here, completely healed.” Gavin looked over to Jeremy face white.

  
“I died, then I was floating. Then this thing punctured me again and all I could think was how much it hurt. The same happened to you?” He questioned and Jeremy nodded. Gavin let his shirt drop and ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up in all directions.

  
“Are we alive?” He asked slowly, taking in the foggy emptiness all around them. Jeremy leant forward where he sat, putting his head in his hands.

  
“I don’t know gav. I just don’t know.” He said quietly, a pain in his heart that wasn’t physical for once. Were they dead? Was this it? To die by the hands of a friend, sacrificed to some unknown spiderlike entity… was he his soul now? Where were they?

  
Tears slipped down his face and he didn’t even care. If a man couldn’t cry in limbo after being murdered with all his friends, when can he cry? Gavin circled the fire a few times, giving Jeremy his space, muttering to himself. He finally stopped and pointed at the arrow.

  
“What’s that?” he asked and Jeremy lifted his head lethargically to follow Gavin's finger.

  
“Oh that,” he let his head drop, “It’s an arrow I scuffed to remind myself which way I left the fire. You walk out into the fog, you end up back here.” He let his voice trail off, contemplating his death. Had Ryan know this? If this was the immortality he spoke about, Jeremy didn’t want it. He had a life he wanted to live, a family to start and friends to share it with. Well he had had those things. Now all he had was a fire, fog and Gavin.

  
At that thought he looked up at the brit to find he had shoved his hand in the fire.

  
“Gavin!” he cried in panic and leapt to his feet, puling Gavin away. He seized the hand that had been in the fire and only as he turned it in his own grip a few times did Gavin’s voice sink in.

  
“No it’s cool. Well it’s warm, but I’m not hurt. The fire doesn’t burn anything. Just gives light and warmth.” Jeremy let Gavin pull his hand free and watched as he put it back into the core of the fire. Gavin turned his eyes on Jeremy as flames licked around his fingers.

  
“See? Told ya.” He said cockily and Jeremy extended a cautious hand towards the fire. As the flames started to travel up his arm, warm but not painful, they heard someone else approach at a run. Michael came into the fire area and dropped like a brick, blood pouring from everywhere they could see.

  
Gavin squealed in distress and flew to his friend but Jeremy only turned to face them slowly, taking his hand from the fire.

  
“Hang on boi! You’re going to be fine.” Gavin cried, hands patting uselessly over the flayed flesh. Jeremy knelt down and touched Gavin's shoulder, talking over the panicked man.

“It’ll be ok. I watched the same thing happen to you. He’s going to be fine.” He tried to reassure but it wasn’t until Gavin saw for himself, the gashes closing, that he calmed down. Together they watched Michaels body knit itself back together.

  
Michael stirred with a groan, his eyebrows furrowing before he blinked rapidly, finding Gavin and Jeremy’s faces.

  
“Gavin? Jeremy? Oh thank fuck your alive!” he called out and Jeremy’s heart broke in his dead chest. Gavin reached down as Michael struggled upwards, the two meeting in a tight embrace. Jeremy looked away from their happiness, the bitterness of it a sour taste in his mouth.

  
Because they weren’t alive. They never would be again. He now understood that they were to share this tiny little hell. All too soon, Jack would come then Geoff and they’d be reunited to spend eternity in this lifeless space. The fire there to taunt them with a death that would never come. Tears came again and he felt Michael and Gavin draw him into their huddle.

  
“Jeremy what’s wrong?” Gavin asked, long fingers wiping away his tears. When your murdered together, conventional social norms were suspended.

  
“We’re dead Gav.” He said brokenly and saw what that meant registered on Michaels face. Despite the despair eating away his friends expression, he felt an overwhelming urge to continue.

  
“We’re dead. We’ll never see our families again. They’ll always wonder what happened to us. All our friends at rooster teeth… they’ll never know how much we cared. Achievement hunter is just gone. Our lives, everything, are over.” Michael turned away from them, anger pinching his face into a horrible expression. Gavin's own face closed over in grief as he started to understand what Jeremy was saying.

  
“Meg,” he whimpered and now it was Jeremy’s turn to wipe tears away as fast as they came. All three Lads huddled close together, sharing their grief, tears making all three damp. They were so involved in their huddle, jack dropped on the other side of the fire, almost unnoticed. Luckily, Michael had been staring out into the abyss, heart aching for his lost redheaded soul mate, that he saw Jack appear and stumble. He nudged the other two and they all pulled themselves together to greet Jack.

  
They gathered around his broken body and as they waited for his wounds to heal, heard more footsteps come towards them. Speechless they gazed as Geoff knelt down by Jack, sparing the lads only a quick sad smile before tending to his best friend. He gathered jacks body into his arms, rocking slightly, gazing down as the bruises faded from Jacks face.

  
“Hey buddy. Welcome to the land of the…well the dead but welcome anyway.” Geoff said softly when jacks eyes fluttered open.

  
“Geoff?” he said weakly, a hand coming up to touch his friends rough cheek.

  
“In the spirit flesh.” Geoff said back then the two men hugged each other fiercely. Everyone was crying and when Geoff extended a hand to the lads, the three fell against them in a giant huddle. There were laughter and sobbing, voices speaking over one another in true achievement hunter style. Everyone was soaked from the combined tears but no one cared. Geoff looked up from the middle of the group when he heard a shy throat clear.

  
Ryan stood a little in the fog, hands behind his back and a sheepish expression on his face.

  
“Ah, I guess I wouldn’t be welcomed?” he asked softly as four pairs of eyes glared at him.

  
“Not welcome?!” Michael began, trying to get to his feet, fists curled but Geoff put a tattooed hand on his arm, encouraging him down again. Once Michael obeyed, he untangled himself from the group and stood free, the other four still glaring at Ryan. Geoff came forward and lifted his arms, Ryan flinching back violently until Geoff’s hands came down softly on his shoulders.

  
Ryan looked into those soft blue eyes, his own filling with tears, his hands coming around to his sides.

  
“I’m..I’m so sorry Geoff. I couldn’t- I couldn’t fight them. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He stuttered apologies over and over, hot tears gushing as he broke down. Geoff went with him when Ryan’s knees gave out and pulled the hysterical man into his chest, crooning like he was a child, stroking his hair. The others looked on in disgust as Geoff comforted their murderer.

  
“It’s ok buddy, let it out. Let it out. I get it man, I do. Oh Ryan it’s ok.” He cooed and Michael spluttered angrily again but this time it was Jack who leapt up, unable to stand Geoff comforting the man who ruined their lives.

  
“Geoff get the fuck away from him! He’s the asshole who killed us!” he roared in righteous anger as the lads rose behind him, backing him up. As they all spat and yelled abuse at Ryan Geoff turned his eyes on them until they quieted, all the while stroking Ryan’s head.

  
“It wasn’t him. The entity that rules here. It took him that first night and he took us the second. He’s as much the victim as we are.” Geoff explained softly. At the mention of Ryan taking them, Ryan himself heaved into fresh sobs, clinging desperately to Geoff, trying to bury himself in the older man. Geoff locked eyes with jack who began to soften.

  
“My family! What are they going to do?” cried Ryan into Geoff and that heartbroken plea broke the others anger like water tipped over a fire. They gathered around Ryan and one by one, started to hug him.

  
Reunited in death and grief. Time passed as they all broke down together. There was no sign of it passing, no need for sleep or food. No sign around them. Just a endless period where six friends clung together in the dim firelight, mourning everything they had ever known.

  
Nothing...  
Nothing...  
Nothing...

  
Something...

They weren’t asleep, they didn’t need to and found they couldn’t slip into it no matter what they tried. Regardless they ended up pooled together in a sort of doggy pile, everyone touching everyone else. They ended up like that as they discussed they’re deaths, Ryan listening guiltily as they described they’re horror. He wisely kept quiet, wanting to explain his own journey but knowing now wasn’t the time. Gavin had his head resting on Ryan’s chest, the man stroking his hair much like Geoff had stroked his. He was the first to notice something had changed around them.

  
The fog had gotten heavier around them, forming a almost wall while the area had expanded. He sat up and the others complained about it until he pointed out the changes. Now the were all sitting up or getting to their feet.

  
“Oh what now? Can’t we just be dead in peace?” Geoff whined and Ryan lifted a hand shushing him.

  
“I feel it again.” He said, his voice shaking with fear. He reached out and grasped Michael with one hand and Jack with the other.

  
“No! I don’t want to kill my friends again. You can’t make me!” he yelled into the sky and Gavin gripped his shoulders, forcing him to look at the brit. Geoff and Jeremy backed away, both first to feel the cutting bite of the hook and Ryan’s madness scared them.

  
“Ryan what is it?”

  
“the entity Gavin. It wants another game! It lives on fear. On pain! Please don’t let it take me over again.” He asked desperately, his eyes shining with tears. Jack and Michael exchanged looks then solidified their grip on Ryan.

  
“You’re not getting him again fucker!” Michael yelled into the dim, pressing close to Ryan, “You can fuck right off!” Geoff tried to take a step closer to the four but found the fog had got a grip on his ankle. He looked down as his face drained of color.

“Help!” he yelped, turning everyone’s gaze to him as the fog dragged him into the white wall. He disappeared in moments, Jeremy’s fingers just brushing Geoff’s before he was gone. Then as the four made a move to help him, Jeremy was also grabbed. He struggled but it was no use, the fog this time shoving him towards a empty space on the other side of the fire.

  
“No Jeremy!” cried out Ryan, as he recognized a familiar red light envelop the shortest achievement hunter. Gavin, Michael and Jack watched open mouthed with horror as the light washed over their friend. Ryan, knowing what was coming, turned his head away, unable to watch.

  
As the light caressed Jeremy’s body, he started to jerk and scream in pain. Welts broke out over his skin as clothes melted away. Once naked it was as if he was being lashed by invisible whips, blood beading all over. Ryan had turned his head but he couldn’t block out the noise of Jeremy screaming at the torture. Nor could he drown it out as the screams gave way to evil chortling. The bombardment stopped and clothes manifested themselves upon the torn up body. Jeremy lifted his head, his chortles turning into unhinged laughter.

  
Fog crept in around them, turning their vision to dark but not before Jeremy plucked a bloodied cleaver from the air, blood dripping by his nose as he watched them. He pointed the weapon at them and laughed again.

  
“I’ll be seeing you, real soon.” He promised and the world turned to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's all i got. I know theres more letsplays so maybe i'll do more? but for now this is the end of this story.


	7. Not this again!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're back, they're scared, will they be dead by daylight?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i got to typing trying to work through writers block and this came out instead of what i was actually trying to do. Enjoy!

Gavin came too, kneeling in a scrap yard. His breath speed up and his heart started to thunder in his ears. He whipped his head about but in the dark and dim setting, he saw no one else. Panic was blossoming in his chest and he felt the ghost pain of the spider leg driving through his ribs to pierce his heart. He pressed a hand to his heart as if that could protect him from it happening again.

  
“No, No, No!” he called, turning around on the spot, unable too believe he was back here. He put his fists to his temple and smacked his head.

“Come on, wake up you knob. This is a nightmare! Wake up, wake up!” he coached himself and bit back a sob when he heard Geoff in his head once more.

 _“Gavvey! God dam, this again? Why do I have to stay dead?_ ” Geoff complained and Gavin slumped as he gave in on his nightmare theory. This really was going to happen again. He really was about to be killed by someone he called friend.

“I’ll be happy to trade with you Geoff, not anxious to get another hooking.” Michael called softly, approaching Gavin and his ghost. Gavin was of mixed feeling seeing Michael. He didn’t want to be alone but he didn’t want to watch his Boi die either. They hugged hard and fast then Michael started pulling him away from where he spawned.

  
“Geoff, can you hook us up with the others? Preferably without crazy killer this time?”

  
_“Fuck off Michael, this is hard. You have no idea how much it sucks trying to connect people. It takes all my concentration just to blanket the area. So it’s all or nothing.”_ Geoff said harshly as Michael and Gavin wandered the scrap yard for generators.

Gavin shuddered hard when they past a hook, its point seeming to wink at them in the muted light. Michael’s hand where it gripped his wrist also trembled but his voice was hard when he spoke to their dead friend once more.

“Sorry Geoff. Look I don’t want to end up kebobed again alright? I’ll take whatever you can give us.” Gavin heard Geoff's disembodied sigh and he asked his pressing question before Geoff disappeared.

“Do you think if we get out of those doors, we can get back to our old lives?” he asked them both and Michael paused their fleeing considering.

“I don’t know Gavin. Right now I’m just avoiding another death.” He said slowly, his mind unable to cope with the flush of hope that came with the idea. He squashed it down before he died of disappointment.

 _“What about me? I’m still dead and in the fog. If you all leave, what happens to me?_ ” Geoff asked and neither Lad had a good answer so kept silent. Geoff sounded crushed when he spoke again.“ _Yeah, that’s what I thought too.”_

They felt him leave, no echoing laugh like the last time, just a oppressing feeling of defeat. Michael tried to shake it off as he heard Jeremy speak in his mind.

  
“Where are you guys? I haven’t found anyone yet.” He complained lightly as if he wasn’t trying to brutally end his friends.

  
“Can we take him?” whispered Gavin to Michael but due to the connection joining them all Jeremy heard.

“Oh hey Gavin! So Geoff’s doing his ghost thing again huh? That’s useful. Mind telling me where you are?” Jeremy sounded so normal and like his own self that Gavin felt sick. He remembered around the camp fire as Jeremy was mutilated and changed into the killer, the tracksuit and bloodied apron marking him as a murderer. Ryan had a club but Jeremy had a cleaver. Not something Gavin wanted to feel first hand.

Michael had let him go, sneaking into a shack and down some stairs in hope of a shortcut. Gavin followed him without answering Jeremy who was keeping up a monologue of what he was doing and feeling.

“Oh, I see what I do here.” He commented and Gavin halted at the bottom of the stairs, almost slamming into Michael who had also paused, horrified at where they found themselves. It was the blood soaked room they had woken in, the same place Geoff had died. Michael moved on autopilot, lunging at a cupboard and leaping inside like the wooden box could protect him from this terror. He cried out as when he shut the door he saw movement just outside.

“What was that?” Jeremy asked nicely in their minds as Michael and Gavin hid in side by side cupboards.

“You scared the shit out of me.” Michael breathed to Gavin who just muttered back over and over. “This is a bad room, this is a bad room.”

“My heart’s beating.” Jack informed everyone, his voice trembling Michael breathed a sigh of relief, now confronting the fear that Jack and Ryan had been killed before Geoff contacted them.

“Ryan are you still there?” he braved and was rewarded by Ryan’s dulcet tone in his mind.

“Yeah. I’m still here. He was near me for a bit but he didn’t see me.” He was breathing hard and Jeremy whined to everyone.

“Aww, really? I haven’t seen anyone yet! Where’s the fun promised?”

“Jeremy, I was you remember? It’s not real what you’re feeling. That thing is wrapped around your mind, twisting your thoughts. It’s turning pain into pleasure, it’s fucked up! Please Jeremy listen to me, you’re going to regret this forever if you hurt us.”

“But Ryan, it hurts so good.” Jeremy responded, his voice so deep and rumbling it was hardly recognizable as the fun loving little J they knew and loved.

“He’s gone Ryan. Just give up, he’s gone.” Jack said sadly and Michael voiced his agreement.

“Just get the generators. We got to get out of here this time.” He said to the other two then concentrated on Gavin.

“Gavin?” he heard an answering whimper with his ears, “Gavin, we got to get out of here.” Above them came the sounds of generators being blown up and Jeremy rung in their minds, on the hunt. Gavin was the first to open his cupboard, eyes blown out from fear as he looked around. Michael followed and they made their way towards the stairs.

Ryan worked desperately at a generator, ears peeled for the approach of danger. His long fingers were firm as he tried to reconnect things but he slipped and a sparks flew as the generator rocked making a large boom that he knew would draw Jeremy in. His heart started to pound louder and louder and he ducked away.

“What was that Ryan?”

“Nothing.”

He held his breath as Jeremy stalked by him, blade hideous in his grasp. Ryan shut his eyes, breathing through his nose. Though his own journey to immortality had been painful, he hadn’t experienced this sickening terror. Being hunted down by a man you called friend and expected to have your back. He peeked around the tree, heart almost being thrown up, it jumped so high into his throat when he saw Jeremy’s back, head cocked and listening.

“You were here Ryan.” He noted and started to walk away. Once Jeremy had gone a distance, Ryan started hurrying the opposite way.

“I sure was.” He told the frustrated killer, “And then I left.”

He felt guilt slow down his limbs as he considered what he was saying. He was taunting a man that he, himself had condemned to this hellish existence. It was his fault they were all here. He had hung Jeremy up as his young friend begged him to stop. He had caved in Geoff’s skull, beat Gavin as he hung helpless, laughed as Michael drowned in his own blood. It was him and him alone who pushed Jack into despair, watching as hope fled from his old friend, until their eyes had met and he had realized what he was doing and how it was too late.

Suddenly he was choking on sobs, his hands pressed to his face in a futile attempt to stifle them. He bolted across the yard and when he saw a hiding spot, slammed himself inside like it was a coffin.

“I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry Jeremy. I’m sorry guys, I did this.” He choked out hysterical.

“Ryan get a grip!”

“Don’t fall apart man we need you now.”

“Ryan, Ryan where are you? We’re coming.”

“Ryan….” This last voice sent a chill down his spine and his cries petered off, “Ryan… It’s ok. I’m not even mad. Just come to me Ryan. I’ll make you feel better, you know I can. It’s like you said, a little pain then the fire forever.” Jeremy’s unhinged chuckle came in loud and clear to all four men. Finally the other survivors understood what Ryan didn’t. that when you’re the killer, it’s just that thing using you like a puppet. Ryan couldn’t see that through his own grief and pain. He only knew that because he had dragged Jeremy here, his friend had been corrupted into the monster in the dark.

The only thought that got him out of the cupboard was the thought of his other three former victims, now trapped in this yard. He had to get them out. So he wiped his face and took some big breaths, steeling himself to push on the door and find another generator.

“I’m ok. I’m sorry about that. I didn’t mean to freak out there. Something I learnt as the k-k-killer,” they heard him stutter on the word as somewhere a generator roared to life, “is that more people working on generators make them go faster.”

“Shut your mouth Haywood!” Jeremy roared and Ryan paused, hearing him with his ears as well as mind. The roar was from further away though so he kept going.

Jack whimpered in his spot, his heart trying to escape his chest as if it knew he was about to be threaded up. His working generator lit up the front of his hidey hole, the light leaking through the gap in the doors. Outside he heard Jeremy stomping by, the light flickering in and out as he paused in front of the doors. Jack tried to quiet his breathing but it was so hard, his pulse almost drowning out his sense of hearing.

As he calmed himself he realized that the sounds of Jeremy had faded and his heart steadied into a normal rhythm once more. Cautiously he peeked out and seeing the coast was clear, set a foot out of the cupboard. When he had he heard the tread of boots approaching and quickly pulled himself back inside as his heart went crazy with fear. It was too late.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE HUH?!” Jeremy roared as he opened the door wide. The blade sunk inches from jacks face into the wood as a Jeremy, larger then he had ever been in life, reached in and snatched Jack screaming from his spot.

“No! Jeremy! No, No! please! Let me go! No!” he begged and thrashed in Jeremy’s arms. Jeremy pulled his weapon out with a satisfied grunt.

“This way, this way, this way.” Michael chanted at someone as Jack screamed Jeremy had him. He was stunned momentarily as Jeremy turned, smashing his friends head on a wall.

“Whoops.” He said merrily. Jack felt blood trickle down his cheek but he ignored it starting to desperately free himself.

“Let me-Fuck you, let me go!” he yelled, belting the back of Jeremy’s head and trying to pull himself free from the arm that gripped him. Jeremy paid no heed to his efforts.

“Hmm your kind of unlucky jack, your far from any hooks.”

“He’s dragging me away! Help!”

“Don’t worry I’ll find you a way back to the fire.” Jeremy tried to sooth him. A deep clang sounded and lights flickered on in the distance, causing Jeremy to pause and look over that direction.

“We got another one!” Michael crowed.

Jack kicked out with his foot and connected with Jeremy’s weapon hand at the same time shoving with his arms on the grip that held him. Jeremy, trying to reach for his fallen weapon, loosened his grip and jack rolled off his shoulder.

“What? Come here jack!” Jeremy picked up his weapon but jack had already fled.

“He dropped me!” he called and three other voice’s encouraged him to run. Jeremy was right behind him, his new body, thick and elongated stride, eating up the distance. Jack saw a almost window like ledge in a wall and leapt it. The former gymnast, unused to his new body, took it slow, cursing jack as he disappeared into the distance.

“save him!” Michael demanded of no one in particular and Ryan’s tone was despairing as he answered, “I’m trying but I don’t know where he is!”  
Jack slowed, breath hurting his lungs, looking behind him. He slowly came to a stop and put his back to a wall after scanning the area. As he listened to the guys panic and Jeremy search he spotted another of the hiding cupboards and went towards it.

“Jack, for a man with a head wound and a gut, your pretty spry.” Jeremy commented annoyed.

“Fuck you, I got away.” Jack panted and across the yard the other three let out huge breaths in relief. Michael turned to share his relief with Gavin who was following him closely. Michael had a flashlight the duo had found as they had been searching the yard. The brit flashed him a brief smile, fear eating away at it so quickly Michael wasn’t entirely sure he had imagined it. This terror was changing his friend into someone he wasn’t sure about. Gavin seemed to be giving up and Michael wasn’t sure what to do about it. Then again, this constant hunted existence was changing all of them.

Gavin gestured, both of them trying to use the psychic net as little as possible to give away their position. Michael couldn’t help but check on Jack though, concern for the man who had welcomed him into the best job in the world flooding through him.

“Jack you got away?” he asked and Jeremy answered, frustration tingeing his otherwise normal voice.

“He absolutely got away.”

“Yeah, I got away, you can fuck right off Jeremy.” Jack spat at his terrorizer. Across the yard a generator blew twice in quick succession.

“Guys, guys…” Ryan said fearfully and Michael tried to comfort him.

“It’s ok, that’s ok. Just go Ryan. Just go. Don’t worry about it.”

“No one’s worried about it.” Jeremy put in and Michael turned as the voice was too close. He saw Gavin scream as Jeremy brought down his cleaver, opening up Gavin's back. Blood splattered back up onto the killer’s face, mask eyes momentarily blinded. Michael snatched Gavin's arm, dragging the moaning man with him as they fled.

“Gavin?! Gavin stay with me boi!” Michael called to his friend, the brit stumbling along in shock. Gavin stumbled hard and Michael turned back to see that horrible grinning mask coming towards them.

“Gavin RUN!” he screamed and his voice sunk through the shock in Gavin's mind triggering his fight or flight response.

They ran.

Gavin sobbed as he felt his shirt become soaked in his own blood, one arm useless and one leg going partially numb. He lost sight of Michael, his eye sight foggy and he limped into a little hut. To his left was a hiding cupboard and knowing he couldn’t run much longer, he tried to get inside.

“Yeah? Yeah? Trying to hide?” Jeremy loomed up behind him, expertly snagging him around the waist and pulling him up onto his shoulder.

“Gavin?! What happened?!” Jack called out as Gavin's cries echoed in their minds. Michael spotted them and tried to follow, informing the others what had happened.

“Gavin's been carried away! He’s going to get hooked!”

“No Gavin! Please Jeremy, don’t do it. Trust me please don’t do it!” Ryan tried to reach out to the warped mind of the killer but Jeremy just laughed over Gavin’s struggles and the survivors pleading.

“What can I do? All I got is a stupid fucking flashlight!” Michael bewailed his weaponless state until he heard Ryan gasp.

“Blind him with the flashlight!”

“What?”

“Blind him! It hates light, fucking blind him!” Ryan rushed through the overgrowth, trying to get to his friends, following the sounds of Gavin's cries and Michael’s determined yelling.

“I’m doing it, it’s not doing anything!”

“Help me please!” Gavin begged as Jeremy growled.

“You trying to blind me Michael? Trying to blind me with that flashlight huh?”

“Fight Gavin!” jack encouraged in the melee. Gavin was to weak too struggle hard and all too soon, despite Michael’s efforts and Ryan rushing towards them, his fear was realized. Desperate he looked over at Michael, eye’s wide.

“shine it Michael! I’m going to be hooked! NOOO! AHHHHH!!” he screamed wetly as he felt the hook slid into his shoulder again with a slick splat of homecoming. With his good arm he pawed pathetically at the hook, sobbing uncontrollably as his body screamed at him in pain. Before him, Jeremy turned to face Michael who was pointing the light at him in an attempt to save his friend.

“let my friend go! No!” When he saw Jeremy lift a hand, shading his eyes, Michael stopped and spun on his heel.

“Oh god, it didn’t do anything and now he’s going to kill me next!” he howled, tears blinding him as he ran from his friend, leaving Gavin to gurgle and die alone in the dark.


	8. Do you understand?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Only Ryan could understand what's going on in Jeremy's mind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for all the kudos guys and big shout out to my commentors CerebralThunder and LibbyBell, this ones for you guys!  
> Enjoy or don't, once again, i'm not the boss of you ;)

Gavin let his hand fall, giving up on trying to save himself. Around him the spiders legs started to appear slowly, feeding from his pain. He felt as if his entire body was afire, his left leg and arm numb and his shoulder screaming. The weight of his body was slowly pulling the hook through his skin. In his pain fogged mind he decided to struggle again just so he’d die quicker but his body would not obey him. He could only listen to the chase, unsure whose voice was whose in this shocked state.

“Michael! Michael Jones!”

“No,no,no,no,no.”

“Michael come here!”

“Run Michael!”

“He’s chasing me! Ryan save me!”

“If you could not lead him to me that would be great!”

“Hello Ryan! I’ll be back for you buddy.”

“NOOOOO!”

Michaels’ screaming echoed in Gavin’s mind causing the Englishman to leak precious moisture from his eyes. Around him the legs were starting to reach towards him, the last of the fire burning away leaving only the black furred appendages. He closed his eyes, happy that his pain was about to be over even as his heart beat harder in his chest, traitorous to the last.

He sobbed as he felt arms wrap around his waist. He begged wordlessly that they leave him, leave him to die but whoever it was raised him high so the hook slid from its place and he fell forward. Strong arms enfolded him, cloth ripping and he felt the terrible slice in his back being bound. He sobbed and tried to focus on his rescuer.

“Gavin, stay with me. Gavin. Gavin I won’t let you die, do you hear me? I’m going to get you guys out of here. You’re going to escape Gavin, believe me please.” Ryan worked on the shuddering man in his lap, desperate to do something positive. They were still before the hook, Gavin unable to move but Jeremy was distracted by his fleeing prey. In fact Ryan wasn’t sure if anyone had heard him try to bring Gavin back from the edge.

“Godam it Michael! You have no idea how much that slows me down!” Jeremy roared, his voice inhuman. Michael had caught the taste of Jeremy’s blade as he had fled, blood flowing down his arm, shoulder gauged. He listened as he fought the urge to sob as Jeremy smashed his way through crates Michael had thrown down in a doorway.

“When I get my hands on you, I’ll make you understand! I’ll make you understand!”

But only Ryan, where he rocked Gavin, sobbing over the man in his arms that was broken in spirit and body, could understand Jeremy’s rage.

\----

Jeremy finished smashing the crates into pulp, fingers drumming on the hilt of his machete. Despite the chill of the air, he was quiet warm. He was thankful to his god for the warmth of his wounds, the blood leaking from his eyes keeping his face at a lovely temperature. As he strode back into the yard he felt the fog caress him like a lover. He petted the tendrils of mist, affection for the dim setting twisting around his heart. Deep in his chest, his heart beat black sludge, the spider entity having filled him with their essence. It burned under his skin, a mind not his own pressing against his thoughts. It urged him on into the dark. If he could just kill them, his friends would love him.

Too his left he saw a flare of light and a deep echoing boom. Someone had messed up a generator. He grinned, his cheeks flaring in pleasure as the movement split his skin. He trembled in delight as he stalked towards the offending generator. In his mind his friends called to him, begging for release back into the warmth of the fire. His mind was full of multiple voices, his friends, their real words and their twisted ones being spoken all at once, confusing and infuriating him.

“I got Gavin off the hook.” Ryan informed everyone and Jeremy’s burning eyes rolled in his head madly.

“Why?! Why?! Why?!!” he roared and slammed his foot into another lot of knocked over crates.

“Jeremy, remember when I…When I killed you? Remember that Jeremy? Lil’J please understand we don’t want to be sacrificed.” Ryan begged with him but as he spoke, his voice was being twisted into other words.

“Oh Jeremy, isn’t this fun? Doesn’t it feel good? Lil’J remember how you writhed, how you begged for more hooks, how wonderful it felt?” Jeremy grinned as the altered words sunk through the red haze into his consciousness.

“Yes I remember Ryan. It was so good. I’m going to do the same to you. Would you like that huh? Feel that cold metal in you, feel the entity caress you. Come to the fire Ryan, Come to me.” He felt himself bubble over with joy, his happiness coming out in laughter that rung through the yard. Suddenly he paused, hearing a human whimper close at hand. Once more reality warped in his mind eye, the entity bestowing more gifts to him for his service. Red lines became clear on the ground, the walls, leading him to his friend who was moaning in anticipation.

“I can hear you.” He reassured them, wanting them to know their wait was almost over. Why didn’t they just come out?

“I know you’re here, poppet.” He quoted a movie the guys had teased him over not having seen it. That should make them laugh, then he’d find them. His madness snagged on one of the hiding cupboards scattered around the yard to give the survivors choices on when to come to him. He looked either side of it but now he was close he could hear them trying to muffle their breathing inside.

He swung wide the door and lit up as the entity rewarded him for finding another sacrifice. He laughed, buoyant with love for his god as he grasped jack around his face, muffling his mouth. He didn’t need to hear Jacks thanks, he knew the older man appreciated it. He swung him onto his shoulder, happy to help his friend to his destination. Jack was screaming his thanks over and over and Jeremy laughed long and loud at his enthusiasm.

“Atta boy jack, just going to bring you to a nice hook.” He spotted one behind a boulder and his grin split up to near his eyes. A fresh coating of blood covered his neck for which he was grateful. As Jack fought to hug him, arms wide in an embrace, Jeremy lifted him high, skillfully lining up where the hook will enter. He brought jack down hard as the bearded man cried out in ecstasy.

“There you go my friend, right where you belong.” Jeremy said with satisfaction. Jack squirmed on the metal, fingers petting it lovingly.

“I found the door!” Gavin's voice cut through all the others which had been murmuring quietly in Jeremy’s mind since he found Jack. He looked away from Jack, eyes peeled for his friends. He didn’t understand why Gavin sounded excited by the door. He wanted to stay here in the yard with Jeremy didn’t he? There was nothing out there, no life giving death, no loving entity, nothing but harsh light, burning, burning, burning away the precious dark.

His attention was brought back to Jack who was playing coy with their loving god. The spider tickled Jack’s throat, Jack holding it away from him with all his strength, crying out for his friends. He probably wanted them all to witness, he was so happy Jeremy was there. He kept trying to draw the others in.

“Oh god, it’s going to kill me! He’s just standing there watching me die!”

“Jack, I want to save you!” Michael called out desperate to help save jack, to help bring him to the fire.

“Jeremy’s just watching me! Sick bastard is watching me die!” jack screamed and Jeremy frowned until the words were filtered into something he could understand. “Jeremy’s watching over me! Wonderful bastard he is, watching me die!” Jeremy flipped a hand modestly, waving off the praise.

“All I do, I do for you guys.” He told Jack, flaming pits meeting tear filled blue as the entity grew bored playing and stabbed Jack through the throat. Jeremy sucked in a glorious breath as his body was flooded again with gratification making the killer groan and chuckle. He took a moment even though his god was starting to urge him to find the others. He wanted to watch as Jack melted into a husk and his god lifted him up into its body, swirling into the sky.

Pain flared bad across his spine, momentarily punishing him for his disobedience. Jeremy ducked his head and palmed the hilt of his blade setting back to work.

“so how many generators have you got?” he asked conversationally, inspecting each generator he past. Some were partially fixed, much to his confusion.

“Why are you working so hard to leave? I don’t get it. We’re immortal. We get to play together.”

“Jeremy, fuck off. You just killed Jack. Do you get that? Jack is dead!” Michael spoke to him harshly and Jeremy didn’t get the tone. But then again, his shattered mentality reasoned, Michael always spoke harshly.

“Please Michael, he’s just gone to the fire. That glorious blaze in the dim. Don’t you want to go there? Come to me Michael, I’ll make you free again.” A generator rumbled to life and he heard Ryan yell out triumphantly because he found a way to draw Jeremy to him. Not wanting to let his friend down, Jeremy hurried over.

“Ryan, Ryan come here.” He coaxed as he saw Ryan crouched in the dark. Ryan shrieked and ran, initiating a game of chase and hide. Jeremy chortled to himself at his childish friend antics, his sight filled with the glow that was the spider entities gift.

“Ryan, Ryan Haywood.” He cooed as if Ryan really was eight years old. He tagged him with his blade, Ryan moaning in indulgence, savoring the blow before he took off again. Jeremy, ever the neat hunter, whipped the blade on his arm before following.

“He hit me! He hit me!” Ryan called out to the others and they voiced their disappointment it wasn’t them who had been tagged. Jeremy’s mind was gripped with impatience, the god tiring of this play. He increased his speed, not wanting to feel the pleasurable pain turn back into the regular kind again. He grabbed Ryan as he tried to hop over a wall, plucking him back by his belt. Over the shoulder he went, the ritual burned into Jeremy’s brain. Must grab the sacrifice, carry the sacrifice, hang the sacrifice. Do this and be rewarded. He shuddered as he anticipated the luxury that was about to be his. An existence of pure pleasure, pain having no meaning.

“I got you Ryan.”

“He’s got me! He’s got me help!”

“My friends are dying. Oh Ryan, no…” Gavin sobbed, overcome by his jealousy. Jeremy felt fleeting irritation at that. If he wanted his turn so badly, why did he escape the hook? If he wanted to be selfish and extend his own pleasure, he shouldn’t begrudge Ryan’s his. Jeremy didn’t thought. He was a good friend to have.

Ryan was thrashing in his arms, trying hard to get to the hook.

“yeah Ryan, you wiggle away buddy, wiggle onto this.” Jeremy encouraged, lifting the gent up to be received onto the hook of sacrifice. As Ryan slid into his place, Jeremy got that rewarding flush again. He closed his eyes briefly, his body light and free. He felt light flicker across his lids and he turned instantly angry.

“Are you shining that fucking torch on me again Michael?” he demanded, searching the area. He hated that game, it was going too far. That light made his mind itch and he knew if it hit his eyes, his pleasure would leave him forever. Enraged he stalked around where Ryan hung, unsure if it had been the bite of the torch or the flicker of light from a generator through the yard.

“No I didn’t shine a torch at you.” Michael told him, his voice deadpan as Jeremy hunted him. A turn around a wall and he found himself back at Ryan’s hook. He smiled up at his friend.

“You were right Ryan. I am thankful for my murder. As you did for me, I do for you my friend.”

\----

“No, no, no” Ryan trilled, panicked, “No I was doing so well!” Michael was paused at his generator, head pressed to the cool metal, fingers still. He heard Ryan crying out, heard his pain and his terror. He knew Jeremy was close by, watching Ryan die with happiness in his voice. And yet, And yet Michael couldn’t bring himself to move.

Gavin was out there, seriously injured but working and moving. Jack was dead. It was only him, the only one who could attempt to save Ryan.

He didn’t think he could. More than that, deep in his secret self, he wasn’t sure he wanted too. Ryan had laughed as he had drowned in his own blood. Had wrestled jack away into the gloom as Michael felt himself impaled over and over.

“Gavin just get the generators.” He instructed, though his own generator was untouched.

“What? No! save me please!”

“It’s too late. We got to get the generators Gavin. He’s gone.”

“No! no! I’m here! Please! I’m fighting! Save me!”

The young man’s hands clenched into fists and he felt tears burn guilty in his eyes. Ryan begged for them, called their names but Michael was now resolute in his decision. Even if he had gone, there’s no guarantee he’d save Ryan in time let alone get away himself.

“Michael PLEASE!” Ryan screamed and Michael choked, coughing on his guilt and his grief. Ryan’s death cry would be with him forever. That hopeless cry as Ryan died, friendless, alone, impaled by a creature of nightmares, that cry was scorched into the very essence of Michael. Jeremy had strung him up but by his words and his inaction, Michael destroyed Ryan more completely then Ryan had him.

“Sorry Ryan.” Michael whispered and Jeremy laughed and laughed and laughed…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so aparently i am countining this. I'm trying to write otherstuff and all i get is this shenanigans


	9. Who is the monster?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things fall apart both in the yard and by the fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah on a roll, excited to see where it's going. Enjoy! (or not, you know the drill)

Michael got back to his generator as the last of Jeremy’s mirth faded into the fog. He wiped tears from his eyes, mind firmed against his guilt. Ryan had brought them here, now Ryan had tasted what they went through. What they were going through again. His fingers faltered as he listened to Gavin sob in his mind.  
“I was there, I was right there. I watched him die. Michael, we could have saved him.”  
“You still around Gavvers?” both of the survivors ignored the killer, speaking only too each other.  
“No we couldn’t have. He was dead the moment he got, got.” Michael thought about how this existence was turning Gavin into a blubbering coward and felt irritation at his best friend.  
“Are you working on a fucking generator or not?!” he snapped, not registering that this hunted life was beginning to harden his heart.  
Across the way, Gavin had crawled inside a cupboard, huddled in a ball, hugging himself. He couldn’t move even if he wanted too. His leg had gone dead, his arm useless. His back was a constant state of ache, right down to his bones. He had struggled, he had tried. He’d inched his way towards Ryan, unsure how he could but wanting to save him. But Michael had told him it was too late. So he’d stopped, helpless to watch Ryan die just as he himself had died before. It didn’t matter he now knew there was another world, that Ryan would live again. Because they lived to die, dying to live.  
He never wanted this.  
Michael finally got his generator up and immediately fled, knowing Jeremy was hungry for another kill.  
“Hmm, whose been working on this? Who got this up huh?” he mused, Michael’s heart sounding like drums in his ears. The shoulder that had been sliced was numb and he held his arm to his chest to stop it from making any noise. He started running when he heard Jeremy turn the corner and see him.  
“Oh Michael! Was that you?!”   
“Gavin I’m done for! Get the last generator!” he roared as Jeremy run him down. He grunted as the blade bit into his leg, crashing hard, skin being rubbed raw on his cheek from the gravel covered ground. He cried out as he felt himself lifted into the air by sure hands.  
“Gavin! Get that last generator!”  
“Michael!” Gavin called to him, that accent caressing his name like it had a million times before. Michael knew he hadn’t been fair to Gavin. Even with his terror and his endless hysterics, he had still tried to save anyone he could. Carved up and broken, he had still worked on generators. So what if he couldn’t find anger at their killers. So what if he couldn’t come back at them with snappy one-liners. Gavin was a coward who fought his own crippling horror to help as best he could. What was Michael but the asshole who let his friend die, knowing he wouldn’t come for him.  
“Don’t you touch that last generator.” Jeremy warned, already walking away before Michael had fully settled on the hook. As he struggled against the hook, Michael saw Jeremy come back and almost as an afterthought, set a bear trap directly in front of Michael. He moaned and tried to pull himself up as Jeremy stalked around him.  
“Trying to escape huh? I hope you do.” Michael didn’t get a chance to hope that Jeremy still lived somewhere inside that monster as he followed it straight up with, “Then I can hang you back up again. It’ll be so fun!”  
“Get the last generator while he’s fucking with me Gavin.” Michael sobbed, almost wishing his lung could have been punctured again, at least that had been quick.  
“I don’t know where it is.” Gavin said, his voice bleak. He knew it was Michael’s dying wish but he couldn’t do it. He had to find them. He had to save Michael or die trying. He crawled and limped his way across the yard.  
“Wow your struggling so much.” Jeremy observed, circling close then backing off again. Michael knew as Jeremy did that Gavin was coming for him. He couldn’t let the stupid idiot die for him so using every trace of strength and courage, he grabbed the hook where it excited behind him, giving it one last try. He roared with exertion and felt the hook exit his body the way it came in. As the point scratched its way past his shoulder he let go, legs buckling underneath him. He looked up and met the furious gaze of the killer.  
“WHAT THE FU-“ Jeremy jerked to a stop, his foot caught in his own trap as Michael took flight. He screamed to Gavin his success as Jeremy roared and raged behind him. He panted hard, pushing his body until he collapsed. He tasted dirt as the world spun around him. To his surprise he was left alone, Jeremy fuming elsewhere in the yard.  
“I got away, I got away.” He breathed, eyes fluttering shut as he dipped into unconsciousness.  
“Michael, Michael?” Gavin called for him, crouched by a generator but there was no response for long minutes. Only Jeremy's mad rambling made Gavin sure Michael wasn’t dead, only hiding.  
“Where did you go? Come back here? Always running, always hiding. You have no idea what it means for me! It hurts so good when I put you up there then it hurts bad when you run away. I need to slice you! Hang you! Sacrifice YOU!” Jeremy had become more and more unhinged as the hunt wore on. It was like everything was being consumed inside him kill by kill.   
“…generator…Gav… did you get the…generator?” Michael sounded so weak when he spoke again. Gavin sighed letting the relief wash through him. Mindful of the connection between all three of them he decided to lie, hopefully Michael would forgive him when they were free.  
“No I can’t find it.” His heart speed up harshly after the lie left his lips and he felt more then heard Jeremy approaching him. He tried to look over his shoulder as he scurried away. He took five steps then screamed in agony as his ankle was shattered by steel teeth closing around it. He hunkered over his gory limb, marrow and blood coating the trap as he watched. He heard nothing but his mouth was open, his strangled cried mute in his own ears. But not in others.  
“My leg! My Leg!” Gavin voice was breaking with each cry and Michael pulled himself into a sit, back against a wall.  
“Oh Gavin! Here let me help you up.” Jeremy sounded almost normal and Michael allowed himself to imagine that Jeremy really was helping Gavin.  
“My leg! My leg!”   
“It’s going to be ok, I’m going to help you.” Maybe Gavin fell down some stairs. Perhaps Jeremy heard it in the office and came out. Yeah, that was easier to see then what Michael knew was reality. He let his mind drift into the fantasy.  
“Oh god please, my leg!”  
“Here, let me help you up there. There you go!” Gavin screeched in pain as Jeremy sat him up on the stairs, his broken limb stretched out. Jeremy inspected it closely as Gavin groaned and pawed at his thigh.  
“Oh yeah, this will fix you right up.” Jeremy pulled out a first aid kit, performing miracles with a bandage. Gavin's whimpers faded into silence as Jeremy sat up from his work.  
“There you go, I told you it would fix everything.” He patted Gavin's shoulder as the Brit looked up at him gratefully. Then Jeremy turned his eyes on Michael, “You next my friend.”  
Michael jerked as Jeremy threatened him, coming back into the dim of this life. He groaned at the effort of moving again. Even the none injured parts of him yelled abuse at him for the movement. He couldn’t stop the whimpering no matter how hard he tried. He pulled himself along then upright when he came to a cupboard. The door swung open and he fell in, the door swinging shut behind him. He faced the back wall, moaning his pain, his fingers tracing a gouged out mark near where a head would be.  
“What was that?” Jeremy asked from close by and Michael almost smothered himself, trying to stop the whining that was coming from him involuntarily. Just one generator. Just one left. Lungs roared for air and his vision went dark before he pulled his hand from his face to suck in a breath.  
“Polo.” Jeremy said coldly then burst into hysterical laughter as he plucked the screaming Michael up into his embrace. He continued his mirth all the way to the nearest hook, doubling up as the spider god took its last victim. He opened his arms wide, embracing the night, his body full of joy as Michael was lifted up into the night.

Everything faded around him, his cleaver drifting from his grip as he floated in cool love. Jeremy felt his mutilations fade from his body as the entity untwined itself from his mind and heart. As it did so, his stomach started to turn, his mind becoming his own again as realization sunk in. What had been wonderful at the time now tortured him with regret. Oh god, Oh God! He had slaughtered his friends! He had hunted them down! Oh god what had he done!  
Jeremy writhed in the nothingness, feeling mirth at his pain all around him but no longer sharing in it. He had been ejected from the entities control, it’s need for him used up until the next time. And that was something he understood as he was thrust into the grey fog, body now his own.  
There would be a next time.  
Jeremy was cautious as he approached the fire. He heard voices raised in anger and five figures in the dark by the firelight. He crept up, ears filtering words before he could make out what was happening.  
“You son of bitch!” Ryan’s voice.  
“Ryan calm down please!”   
“Fuck off Jack, that son of a bitch left me to die!”  
“You killed me first asshole!”  
“Oh fuck you Michael!”  
“Michael please, your making it worse.” Gavin pleading.  
“Alright! Everyone take a deep fucking breath! Let’s all take a step back ok?!” Geoff tried to bring order to the group. Jeremy could see Jack had Ryan in a bear hug that wasn’t caring but restraining. Michaels’ arms were being held from behind by Gavin as Geoff stood between the two men, a hand on either’s chest.   
“I’m making it worse?! You couldn’t get one fucking generator! Not one! What fucking use are you!”  
“Whoa! Michael!”  
“No you shut the fuck up Jack! You don’t fucking get it do you? None of you do! We’re going to die, over and over and I’m the only one who ever does anything!” the sound of a fist striking flesh echoed in the nothingness. Out in the fog Jeremy flinched as tears streamed down his face. He watched his friends disintegrate into an all out brawl, so different from the last time they were here. Jack had hit Michael, letting go of Ryan who had followed his friends punch with his own. Michael struck back fighting the two as Geoff tried to stop the madness. Gavin stood back, head shaking, hands on his ears screaming, “Stop it!” over and over again.   
Jeremy felt the need to help Geoff, stepping into the light and turning the fury on himself. All three angry men fell on him at once, screaming abuse and the tirade went on forever in this timeless space. He let them work out their fury on him, the hits hurting but the wounds healing almost as quickly as they appeared. Finally the blows stopped and Jeremy found he was curled in a ball on the ground, his back basically in the fire so if it had been real, he would have been ignited.   
Ryan had sat down hard, his knees in the air and his arms wrapped around them, screaming into his hands. Jack had stumbled away into the fog, his shape being eaten up by the grey until it appeared behind them. Geoff was laying on his back, his chest heaving, arms spread to either side. Gavin paced around the fire, still muttering stop it. His gaze ended on Michael who was on all fours, punching the ground, his knuckles bleeding as they came up then healed as they came down again.  
Jeremy looked out at nothing and lay his head back down, staying curled in his spot. There was nothing to say, nothing to do. Dimly Jack crossed his vision, walking out in another direction, trying to find an escape that wasn’t there. In this timeless place, it would be forever and be in moments but the time would come. They would be put back into that yard, they would be hunted. They would forever die just to live to die again.  
“Lil’J?” Geoff said quietly, touching Jeremy’s face. The man’s eyes were open but blank. The only response Geoff got was a tightening of the arms around the curled huddle. He turned and tried Michael but only got flattened for his trouble. Michael’s eyes glittered with rage his fist still extended towards the leader of the achievement hunters. After a long moment, Michael turned his eyes away from Geoff’s, hitting the ground again in that endless rhythm. Gavin could neither see nor hear him from his pacing and jack refused to come near the him, spinning on his heel the moment he saw the occupied fire. Geoff didn’t know what to do, his last shot was with Ryan, the one who begun everything.   
He sat beside the sandy haired man, Ryan’s screams had died out before Geoff had gotten up. He just rocked to himself, mouthing words too soft to hear. Geoff knew if he couldn’t reach at least one, he would snap himself.   
“Ryan?” he tried and there was nothing. No change. His voice broken Geoff tried again, placing a hand on Ryan’s elbow, using his full name.  
“James Ryan Haywood.” He tried to say firmly. Again no change. Desperate Geoff tried the last thing he could think of.  
“Oliver Haywood your husband, Polly Haywoodyour first born, Alexander Hayw-“  
“Haywood my bouncing boy and my baby girl Patricia Haywood. My family…” Ryan finished, cutting Geoff off. His rocking stopped and he lifted his head to look at Geoff.  
“My family Geoff. Why would you say they’re names? Why bring them here? It hates them. It hates them so much. It punishes me for thinking of them.” Geoff pulled Ryan into his arms, the big man folding limply, trying to fit himself into Geoff’s lap.  
“Ryan, what happened to you? How did this come about? If we know how you got here first, maybe that’s our way out.” Geoff coaxed and Ryan shuddered in his arms his voice dead.  
“It started that first night.” He began. Michael’s fist stilled and Gavin finally fell silent. Jack’s shadow was in the fog, motionless and Jeremy’s empty eyes blinked. They listened as Ryan told his story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So i needed Ryan to have a family so i made one up. they're not super in this, just place holders for everything we hold dear. I also made him gay just because screw sterotypes.


	10. Ryans Journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So what happened to Ryan? How did this all start? And what's the plan to end it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it is a bit disjointed but it's meant to be that way. Ryan is not himself, has no concept of time.

Still chuckling at Geoff fear of a tiny spider, Ryan made his way into the woods. His partner Oliver had pressed him to go camping. Oliver had handed him his bag and pointed at the door.  
“Out James! Seriously with Patricia teething you’ve hardly had any sleep. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you stealing my shifts in the night.” Ryan had chuckled and brushed the hair from Oliver’s face, kissing his brow.  
“Well your super dad all day. You get Polly off to school and you wrangle Alex and a new born as I play games all day. I gotta do something, your making me look bad.” Oliver had glowed in the way Ryan loved at the praise.  
“You work hard for this family Ryan, you never let us down. Now go have a nice weekend with your friends.”  
Ryan was glad now Oliver had insisted. Even as he had kissed his children goodbye, the ache in his arms where he held them noticeable from the moment he’d gotten on the bus, it was nice to have a adult night. Not that he’d drink. But being with his friends without having to worry about his kids was fun.  
Perhaps he had been thinking too hard about his children while searching for a good stop to relive his bladder made him see things. He furrowed his eyes, squinting trying to make out the small shadow ahead.  
“Hello? Are you lost?” he called, sure now he had seen a child. He turned his head towards the light of the fire and yelled out for his friends.  
“Hey! There’s a kid out here!” he bellowed but they didn’t hear him. He hesitated torn between finding the lost child and alerting his friends. A whimper in the dark decided him, the dad in him coming out.  
“Hey! Come towards my voice! My friends and I are camping, we’ll help you find your site!” he tried to reassure, walking further into the dark. The shadow kept just ahead of him and he slowed down thinking perhaps his running was scaring them. As he did he noticed from the corner of his eye a dim red light. Maybe the Childs camp? He headed towards it.  
Ryan found only a tree, something carved into the trunk, the light surrounding it. He wanted to move away but as he caught sight of the carving, the light brushed his skin. Tingling, it drew him forward. As more of his body was exposed to it, the stronger the urge came to touch the carving. He extended a hand, the lost child pressed from his mind. His fingers touched the rough bark and he was gone.  
The carving was of spider legs extending from a sharp tornado. The groves of the legs in the bark seemed to throb under his touch. He was held by the light, his eyes admiring the points of the spider tornado carving. As he watched, from the trunk the carving became real, legs extending to envelop him.  
He wasn’t worried about it, his mind suspended by the glow of the light. In that passive state the entity spoke to him in its voiceless way. He suddenly had understanding that this creature could offer him immortality. He flushed with luck that he had been chosen for the honor. All he had to do was bring his friends here, and they’d be immortal forever. Stay here, forever.  
Ryan had grown confused at that happy thought.  
“No wait a minute. I can’t stay here forever I have a family.” He said, his voice becoming firm as he thought of his loved ones at home. The legs tightened and the red light burnt him, fire lancing up his body. He tried to scream but something fused his jaw shut as the pain shuddered through him.  
He will bring his friends. He must. Nothing else now mattered but his new god.  
Once he excepted he felt the pain ease and be replaced with something wonderful, joy caressing his every limb. He must bring his friends here and they, as well as himself must be sacrificed to the glory of the entity. Then they would be together, playing and free forever. He silently wondered at the method of sacrifice and felt warm regard wash over him.  
It would be a game. A wonderful game. The kind he was best at. Him vs the other five in a struggle for survival. He would chase them down, the mad king in reality at last, would sacrifice them one by one. The tools for the game would be provided. Hooks that he must hang them from. Once again Ryan’s sane mind tried to interject.  
“I dunno. It sound’s fun, but they’re my friends.” He said hesitantly. He felt pain coming and tried to defend his logic.  
“Look we barely know each other, I’m just not sure if I should be listening to you.” Pain lanced through him and he bit off a grunt of hurt. As he was punished he heard something move behind him further back towards camp. Suddenly he was dropped onto the ground, body trembling at the sudden cessation of his punishment. Light hit him in the forehead, a dark limb extending from the tree to press against his skin, imbuing him with another’s will.  
He knew when the others slept he would come back.  
He had no choice.  
He wandered back into camp, his mind still sore from the intrusion, turning over the offer. A trigger had been linked to thoughts of home and family, sending lightning down his spine and into his head. So instead of that, he focused on Jeremy who was fearfully looking side to side as the others watched, a mix of concern and humour.  
He came up behind the shorter man and grabbed him by the waist. Jeremy had shrieked and within himself, Ryan felt a flush of pleasure at the fear on Lil’J face.  
It hadn’t stopped there. The light was inside him, infecting him deep. It called to him in the night as he sat by the trailers after everyone had gone to bed. He considered hooking up his friends and imagined their pain. It started to cut through the red haze as he contemplated going through with it. He didn’t think he could.  
However, the siren call was strong and even as he told himself he left to tell the spider god no, the entity started burrowing into his thoughts as he got closer. He started thinking about how happy all his friends would be. They would be so happy to live forever. No rules, or responsibilities. Answerable to none. No attachments. He winced at that last thought, pain reminding him not to think about anything but his orders. Just except and be the vessel.  
He found himself kneeling before the Carved tree, arms wide as the Arachnid enfolded him once more. He silently asked what must be done for him to bring his friends to this fulfilment. His fear was muted out by the enlightenment of the dark as he was given the knowledge of what must be done. Like any birth, there must be pain. Only a little for now, just enough to bind him to the site, to his new god. He couldn’t become fully immortal until he had brought his friends here.  
The legs tightened around him then let him go, suspended in the red glow. He hung there, inclined back and limp. His clothes fell away from him and then the torture begun.  
He was flayed, skin tearing away from bone, tiny hooks whipped all over his body. He screamed but it did nothing to ease the pain. He felt a layer of himself be pulled away, all his skin gone into the dark, feeding the thing that held him. His exposed muscles screamed and wept blood. Then a coolness was applied, a black paste smoothing over the tortured flesh. Where it touched the relief was immediate. All over it went except on his back and chest where his heart was. That part still ached and hurt until Ryan wished to rip it out.  
He looked down at himself and saw the red could not touch the area, a brighter light shining from his chest then the dim red could fight. He wondered at it and tried to touch it with his newly solid black hand. His fingers traced the light and the black recoiled exposing muscle once more. He whipped it back and understood that if he went prying, he could use the light of his heart to take off the black. But he would be in unimaginable pain.  
Satisfaction in its choice washed over him, the pride of his god filling him to the brim. A flash of a man came to him, a baby in one arm, a toddler holding the other as a child hugged his leg. His heart burned brighter and black ebbed away from the increase. The pain of it had him forcing the image from his mind.  
It was over then. Ryan was back in the forest before the tree, clothes back on. He looked up at the carving and no longer needed to bathe in the light to know his gods intent for him. Go back, soothe the others. Bring them to the tree tomorrow night. He bowed his head to his god’s will.  
He got back to the trailer in time to hear Geoff scream. His sense of concern deadened by his brainwashing, he felt only curious. He entered and knelt over the thrashing man, Geoff’s face, even in sleep, pinched with fear. It sent trickles of warmth down Ryan’s spine. He placed a hand on Geoff’s chest, meaning to absorb the fear for himself but instead his touched soothed the man much to his disappointment.  
Jack had woken up and confirmed for Ryan his god’s new power. He had dreamt of spiders. Even now, before he had been cleansed by the dark, Jack was worshipping in his sleep. Truly the entity was all, Ryan thought to himself as he coaxed Jack back to sleep. He climbed into his own bunk and lay down only to wince.  
His back hurt when he lay upon it. He turned on his side and found it no better. He rucked up his shirt with the intent to feel his way to his back but his front also hurt. He ran his hands on his skin wincing. His entire torso had been crisscrossed in tiny cuts, bruising forming in-between them. They stung and ached now he had realized they were there.  
In the way that the entity communicated, the knowledge came to Ryan that until he passed fully into life giving death, these little pains would serve to remind him of his duty. He must carry it out or be punished.  
Breakfast was another confirmation, Ryan recognising his god had walked through all their dreams last night even if the others were yet too. His attention was caught on Geoff, watching they’re leader throughout the day. For some reason the sight of that moustached smirk filled him with anticipation. It was natural as breathing to play a game with his fellows. It was a taste to him of the night fun to be had. He knew they were all good choices for his god.  
He had mixed feelings when they spoke of their dreams. For them, it had been nightmarish. A spider hunting them down causing pain. Why would he want to subject his friends to that? Instead of punishing him for the traitorous thoughts he felt awash of love and felt himself grow light with wonderment. It would all be well.  
Jeremy spoke of leaving but he managed to talk them out of it. He could barely contain his excitement for the night. Over dinner he felt like he should perhaps just ask them how they felt about it. He brought up the subject and felt himself ache when they spoke of loved ones. When his own were mentioned there was a brief struggle inside his mind. Ryan the sane screamed out, beating at the wall between himself and control of his body. He needed to break free, to run home and bury himself in Oliver’s arms. To hold tight to his children, cradle his baby.  
Luckily they were all too busy teasing and laughing at Geoff to notice Ryan twitching in his seat during his internal battle. Pain lanced through him again, all his skin remembering how it felt to be torn away from the whole, his muscles contracting hard. His inner self lost against the pain, slumping to quiet in the deep recess of his mind.  
“What if the immortality was locked in place?” something said with his tongue and Ryan gave a half-hearted shove at the wall, twisting it’s words, “ and only in that area can you not die?”  
Never.  
The knowledge pressed down upon him. The entity cannot die.  
He found everything he needed by his beloved carving. One by one he spiked their drinks with what had been provided. Once they were asleep he brought them here. Jack seemed to be looking up blearily so he pressed a wet rag to the older man’s face. He didn’t know what was on it just that his god wanted him to do it.  
“Ryan? What the fuck man?” Michael was coming too, struggling to his feet. He had seen Ryan knock jack out and was fighting the drugs in his system. Ryan came over and tried to put the cloth to Michaels face but the younger man’s hand slapped him on his flayed abdomen. Pain made him wince away and Michael got to his feet, fists raised to fight. Ryan could see the way Michael teetered that he wasn’t all there, the drugs making it hard to focus. He tackled him around the legs and brought them both down, Michaels head smashing against a tree root.  
The metallic smell of blood filled the air and Ryan’s concern was pushed out of mind by the urge to touch. Blood was spilling from Michaels hair, the man knocked out once more, eyes rolled into his head. Daring himself, Ryan leant down and licked the blood that streamed down Michael’s face. He shuddered at the taste, like old good soil and cold metal, everything delicious to him.  
His god beckoned to him. He knelt on the pile of his friends, unheedful of they’re limbs. The carving became life, red light bathing them all as regular moonlight was washed away.  
It was time to receive his reward. It was to be his immortality, his death opening the doorway to the game world for all of them. He spread wide his arms, exposing his torso, head raised rapturously.  
He was stuck by the legs of his god, two in his stomach, one in his lung, one in his throat. He choked, blood pouring from him over his friends, more faster then he should bleed and more of it then his body should contain. The legs brought him up, still drowning in his blood, body twitching uselessly, mind blank of anything but the pain.  
Like a salt shaker, it shook him until his blood rain had covered his friends entirely. Then Other legs appeared, scooping them all up, drawing them in. As they did so, Ryan saw the face of his god, a little girl with multiple red eyes across her face. She grinned a fanged grin and Ryan saw nothing as the last leg stabbed directly into his heart, Pumping black essence through his system, wiping out whatever was left of James Ryan Haywood.


End file.
